The Smirking SOLDIER
by AtrophysFinest
Summary: This is (hopefully!) the new-and-improved version of my favourite fic, The Smirking SOLDIER. Read the author notes at the top of the first chapter if you want to find out what's been changed and suchlike.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: This is the return of The Smirking SOLDIER, but it's been edited and suchlike for readability, and for it to fit in more with the minifics I've been writing. Most of the original story will be the same, and I'll edit where and when I can. I've noticed that one or two people don't like the name 'Atrophy', so John Valentine will just be called John. Anyway, if you want to read it again or if you're a new reader, I hope you enjoy! -AtrophysFinest.

The Smirking SOLIDER

Chapter One: Crippling Memories of a Beautiful Past

Tiffany Lockhart sighed at the sight of two of her best friends, Zack Fair and Aeris Gainsborough, eyes locked, noses twitching, grinning at each other as they reluctantly pulled apart from a romantic kiss, aboard the deck of the airship recently acquired by AVALANCHE, along with a new party member, The Tiny Bronco, and Cid 'Captain' Highwind, a proud lover of the skies, a highly sought-after mechanic, equally proud to carry the name 'Highwind' and constructor of the Gaia-famous Shin-Ra airship, The Highwind.

Keeping her gaze locked on the unbeknownst couple, Tiffany painfully recalled the memories she shared with her first love, the deceased SOLDIER First Class member, John 'Atrophy' Valentine. Shutting her eyes tightly in a futile attempt, rouge tears streamed down her pale cheeks as she gripped onto the railing for support, only just noticing the obvious drop to her death.

Cursing quietly, no-one seemed to notice her, no-one except for a pair of deep, violet eyes which studied her from the Main Hall, where the sleeping quarters could be found.

Noticing a presence behind her, Tiffany's head snapped up, her gemstone-like eyes glimmering in the morning sun. She spun round on her heel, making a beeline for the cabins. Fumbling against the pitch-black wall till she found and flicked the awkwardly-placed light switch, her heart sank when she saw that everything was normal. Well, not to her. Nothing was ever normal, not since that day.

"_Since the day he died..." _Tiffany sighed, clutching her pendant, the one physicality of her lost love that remained in this world for her. Opening the door to her cabin, she entered the room and closed the door behind her before throwing herself onto the bed, the pillow muffling her cries and sobs as she remembered the day she last saw him.

"_Hey, now, Tifa, listen to me, please," John said, flicking his long, unruly hair behind his head with a smirk. "I'm all ears, John. Well, I'm not JUST ears!" Tiffany giggled loudly, obviously pleased with her own joke._

_Smirking again, the SOLDIER First Class sighed sarcastically at his girlfriend's joke, secretly amused by it. Noticing this, Tiffany lightly punched his shoulder. "You and I BOTH know that you liked that joke, John!"_

_With no thought of a verbal response, all the SOLDIER member did was smirk and gently pull his lover into his arms. Clutching his chest, Tiffany raised her head to meet her boyfriend's eyes, a perfectly mirrored smile on both of their faces. "Tifa, the train to Midgar will be here soon. Before I have to go, I have something for you. Close your eyes and do not open them until I say you can. Okay?"_

_Nodding frantically, Tiffany's heart raced, wondering what the gift would be._

_Smirking again, the First Class lanceman and rifleman gracefully ran his fingers through Tiffany's fragrant, deep-chocolate locks as he inhaled the fragrance, distracting his giggling partner before running a thin, stainless steel chain around her neck._

_Caressing her cheek as he walked around to face her, he retained his smirk, folding his arms triumphantly. "Miss Lockhart, you have permission from SOLDER to open your eyes and examine your gift."_

_Tiffany's eyes widened when she saw the crystal pendant, her glistening eyes reflected in the gemstone. "Oh, Gaia... Is this... Is this Materia?" Nodding at this amazed woman, he sighed happily. _

_"Well, Tifa, that piece of Materia is nothing that you can find in any shop, not even in Midgar. The gang and I, whom you all know from the SOLDIER Floor, back when you were an intern?" John paused a moment before continuing. _

_"__We spent a weekend up in the Northern Continent, doing survival training. Heh, Zack even managed to outdo The Great Sephiroth when it came to the race up Gaea's Cliff. Still, Sephy's excuse was that he dropped his Masamune and had to fall back. He didn't drop it, at all. Angeal cast a Confu spell on him, the poor guy's katana was strapped to his belt the whole time!"_

_John paused again. "Long story short, we got cut off from the rest of the Third Class members, who were falling behind, and ended up in a place that Genesis named the Whirlwind Maze, and the home to something quite unbelievable. HUGE Materia! Anyway, you know that there are five main types of Materia, don't you? Yes, of course you do." John took a deep breath before continuing. _

_"__Before the rest of the platoon radioed in, we noticed Angeal cutting off some of the Huge Materia with his Buster Sword. Glancing at each other, we all nodded and each chose the Materia that we wanted a memento of. I was the only one who chose the Independent Materia, and now, it's yours. No arguments, before you get carried away. This almost one-of-a-kind Materia is in the pendant, and it's a symbol of my undying love for you, and to prove that I will always be with you, even if not physically."_

_Tiffany grinned and pressed her lips against those of her smirking boyfriend, wrapping her arms around his neck and whispering something that only they could hear. The reply she received melted her heart once more. "Your hero will return and save you once more, I promise."_

_The sound of the train's whistle broke the couple's kiss, and John knew he had to go. Tearfully mouthing those three words towards the coach, Tiffany watched her lover return the gesture, placing his hand his ribcage, over his heart._

Draining the last of her tears into the damp pillow, Tiffany raised the pendant and kissed it, before swallowing a lump of bitter sadness in her throat. "Why did you have to die...?"

End of Chapter One


	2. Chapter 2

The Smirking SOLDIER

Chapter Two: Former SOLDIERs

Slamming his fist down onto the dashboard of The Tiny Bronco, Cid ignited yet another cigarette, cursing Gaia and her populace for some unknown reason. "Well, shit... At least we're outside Junon. Why the fuck did we have to get shot down? Well, there go my dreams of being in space... Fucking Shin-Ra." Looking over the deck's railing, Zack noticed someone running toward the port city. "Hey, guys... Is that Tiffany? What's she doing there?"

Refusing to look back at her fellow warriors, the young martial artist kept on running, refusing to stop till she reached her apartment. Barging past everyone that stood in her way, tears flooded her eyes and trailed behind her as she ran, until she tackled someone the ground, falling atop him.

The man wore the black, First Class SOLDIER uniform, and Tiffany knew exactly who it was. "Angeal? Wha... What are you doing in Junon? Where's everyone else?"

Lowering his gaze to meet Tiffany's, he stood up with a solemn expression. "The rest of the squad are combing all of Junon's levels, searching for you. Tiffany, listen to me. Genesis found something. He found John's lance. Shin-Ra wanted to claim the weapon as their own and fire us for some unknown reason, so we decided to head here, searching for you. I have to ask, where is the Restless Puppy?"

Tiffany stammered, unsure of what to say or what to think. "I... You need to... Angeal, tell everyone to head to six-one-seven-five Lower Junon in half an hour. We'll talk there." Replying with a silent nod before turning on his heel, Angeal left to contact the rest of the group. Reaching into his pocket for his PHS, he placed three numbers (including his own) into a conference call.

"Guys, I've found Tiffany. We are to meet at 6175 Lower Junon in twenty-five minutes. All of you must take separate paths towards the location, as we have to assume that we are being followed, especially now that we have this information. You have your orders."

Zack felt a twinge of sadness in his gut as he made his way to the cabins, gathering the supplies he needed. Once he was properly-equipped, he explained everything to Aeris, who in turn informed the rest of AVALANCHE.

Vaulting over the deck's railing in traditional SOLDIER fashion, Zack checked his watch before sprinting towards Junon, anxious about the sudden reunion with his former squadmates.

Unknown Facility, Unknown Location, 11:33

'_She doesn't love you.' 'How could anyone love such a degraded monster?' "St... Stop it..." 'You're worthless, weak, pathetic...' 'A true waste of human life...' "I said... I said STOP IT!" A voice cackled with pure amusement. 'It is the truth. You abandoned your so-called friends and marched to your doom. You left your friends to die. You ARE a monster.' The person haunted by the voices growled in annoyance, refusing to let the voices take over. "No... I will NOT give in! You CANNOT control me!" The person's eyelids opened, revealing the surroundings. All that could be seen were rusted, wrought-iron bars, damp, mould and moss-covered bricks and floor, a basic toilet and sink that hadn't been cleaned for some forty years and a man dressed in a blood-soaked lab coat on the other side of the bars. Turning to the person in the cell, the scientist approached the cell door and inserted a golden key, unlocking it. With an evil grin, the man grabbed hold of the prisoner by his collar and dragged the captive away to another part of the facility. Screaming loudly, the prisoner repeated two words before blacking out. "HOWLING FANG! HOWLING FANG! Howling Fang! Howling Fang..."_

Lower Junon, Eastern Continent, 11:50

Angeal ran a hand through his hair and checked his watch, sighing. "They were supposed to be here five minutes ago. So much for SOLDIER precision and punctuality..." Noticing two blurs, one red and one silvery-black, Angeal shook his head and grinned.

"Hmph, they both took their sweet time..." In the blink of an eye, The Great Sephiroth and Genesis Rhapsodos appeared before their squadmate. Looking around the area and smirking, Sephiroth chuckled, crossing his arms. "It seems that the traitor has failed to appear. It wouldn't surprise me if the Shin-Ra Army had eliminated him." Angeal's nostrils flared, disgusted with what he heard.

"Sephiroth, you know full well that Zack is NOT a traitor. He left SOLDIER and the company, granted, but he has left for the right reasons; To save the Planet from destruction. We were fired from Shin-Ra when we found John's lance, but we don't know why. All I know now, is that we have to discuss the matter of the lance with Tiffany, and we all have to come up with some kind of strategy, when the Restless Puppy arrives. Ah, here he is."

Angeal smirked and turned around to the person behind him, mild fury in his eyes. "I am NOT a puppy! I am an elite!" Sephiroth chuckled, preparing to continue his mockery of Zack, but backed down when Angeal glared at him.

The man in the red trenchcoat growled, slamming his book shut and turning to face the group. "How am I supposed to memorise 'LOVELESS' when everyone is making such a racket? Yes, I know that we have to make a strategy, but once... Just ONCE I would like a little peace to try and learn even FOUR lines of the play before we continue. Is that too much to ask?"

Angeal grinned, releasing a loud laugh. "Oh, Genesis... You know that you can read 'LOVELESS' any time we're off-duty. Well, we're off-duty all the time, thanks to Shin-Ra!"

Hearing a key turn in the door's lock behind them, the squad turned to the door as it opened, met with the sight of Tiffany Lockhart, puffy, red eyes, messy hair and a trembling body. "You... You'd best come inside... I want to know everything."

End Of Chapter Two


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: After a huge delay with updates, I'm FINALLY getting back into the swing of things, starting with a restructured update to The Smirking SOLDIER! `

Chapter Three: The Squad's Truth

Once the whole squad were seated comfortably inside Tiffany's somewhat-spacious apartment, Angeal cleared his throat and began speaking, knowing that no-one else could calmly break the news to her.

"Tiffany, before I begin, I must warn you that what you will hear is not going to be easy to handle. Are you sure you want to hear this?" Pausing till he saw the young brunette nod, (albeit frantically,) Angeal grunted before recollecting the memories.

"As you already know, the whole squad were on a mission, and John was KIA, which is what Shin-Ra will have told you. However, we know that he is far from the Lifestream. He's alive. Your pendant, that's how we know he's among us." Tiffany gasped, clutching the keepsake tightly with trembling hands. "My... My pendant? How can you tell that he's alive, just by looking at this?"

Angeal was about to continue, when Genesis stood up, smiling at the host. "Do you remember John telling you that the pendant contains a piece of Huge Materia? Independent Materia, specifically. That shard of Materia houses a fragment of his soul and memories, mainly the memories of the times you both shared. If he HAD passed over to the Lifestream, the Materia would sadly become bereft of the violet glow. By the look of it, I'd say he's in danger."

Immediately feeling a dizzy spell assault her senses, Tiffany fell to the ground, barely being caught by Sephiroth's gloved hand, the swordsman's eyes meeting hers with a smirk. "Come, now, Miss. Lockhart. We cannot have you fainting. We need you to fight alongside us."

Pulling her upright and turning her to Zack, Tiffany stammered once more. "But... I can't fight! I'm merely a hand-to-hand combatant! I can't face up against your level of opponents!" Zack smirked, raising one hand to stomach-level and closing it tightly, forming a confident fist. "You won't be using your hands, well... You will... To a degree. Tiffany Lockhart, you will be wielding John's lance."

With a groan of defeat, Tiffany blacked out, thankfully caught by four of the squad.

End Of Chapter Three


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: New chapter up! It's about time I start making updates. -AtrophysFinest.

Chapter Four: Recovering the Atrophied Lance

Exiting the property, Tiffany and the squad made their way to Junon's Storage Depot, located a short walk from the quayside. Splitting up into two teams to further prevent detection from Shin-Ra members, Zack and Genesis stayed with Tiffany, while Angeal and Sephiroth covered each other's backs.

Smirking as the silver-haired swordsman looked up at the gigantic structure above him, Sephiroth nudged Angeal's shoulder, motioning above them both. "The Cannon... We cost both Junon and Shin-Ra a lot of Gil that day." Angeal blinked, forming a wide grin.

"Well, we DID slice the barrel to pieces, let alone cause a considerable amount of damage to the Headquarters above. Anyway, it's YOUR fault that things happened the way they did." Smirking evilly, Sephiroth grunted, feigning innocence. "I blame Genesis for reading LOVELESS. I had no idea that his copy was a first edition. It was best left in the sea, along with parts of the Cannon and HQ." Angeal responded with a defeated sigh as both he and his cohort made their way past the Shin-Ra armaments.

"Genesis, shut up! I'm trying to count my Gil!" Blissfully ignoring the young SOLDIER and fully immersed in his copy of LOVELESS, the red leather-clad elite continued to read from the pages. "My friend, do you fly away now? To a world that abhors you and I? All that awaits you is a sombre morrow, no matter where the winds may blow. My friend, your desire, is the bringer of life, the gift of the goddess. Even if the morrow is barren of promises, nothing shall forestall my return."

Snarling as he dropped his loose change, Zack charged at Genesis. "I'll forestall your return from Junon's Medical Centre when I'm finished with you!" Before Zack could 'offer Genesis a silent sacrifice', Tiffany stood behind Genesis, arms outstretched and a pair of furious eyes halting him in his tracks.

"Zack, we do NOT have time for this. Look, the first thing we have to do is find the lance. The second thing will be my training and subsequent practise with said weapon. The third thing will be to plan our mission. The fourth will be to find John and complete the squad once more. Do I make myself clear? You're meant to be a SOLDIER 1st Class. Start acting like one!"

Zack Fair's Mako-infused eyes and mouth widened in shock at what he just heard from the usually calm fighter. Closing his leather-bound book and clasping it shut, Genesis drew a hearty laugh, continuing his walk towards the lockups. "It looks like the Puppy is in deep trouble, now!"

Before the Puppy could attack, Tiffany and the two SOLDIERs were approached by Angeal and Sephiroth, the latter silently motioning for them to follow him to the lockup. Upon reaching the horizontal, metal shutters, Angeal knelt down and sighed as he gazed upon the brass padlock. "Great. All we have are keycards. There's no way of getting in without causing damage. Replacing the lock would be impossible without Shin-Ra Infantrymen noticing it on a patrol.

Tapping on Angeal's shoulder, Tiffany made her way past the group and knelt down in front of said padlock, clasping her right hand over it, closing her eyes. The males were stunned to see the lock suddenly spring open, with no signs of damage. Smirking, Tiffany rose to her feet and flicked her hair over her shoulder. "It's something John taught me. I'm surprised you guys didn't know about it."

Mulling things over for a brief moment before laughing and shaking his head, Angeal closed his eyes. "So, that's how he got through the program so fast... He never ceases to amaze..." Tiffany grinned up at Angeal, knowing full well what he spoke of.

The brief silence was broken when Zack pulled up the shutters, allowing Angeal, Genesis and Tiffany into the lockup, while he and Sephiroth kept watch for Shin-Ra. Focusing his eyesight upon the barracks at the opposite end of the path, Sephiroth grunted.

"If you wish to take all day finding the lance, Zack and I shall prepare for a duel with Shin-Ra troops. Otherwise, you should find the lance and we shall all leave."

Nodding at the emerald-eyed elite, Angeal, Genesis and Tifa hastily moved boxes, clothing, magazines and such items out of the way before their vision fell upon a glass display cabinet. Gasping internally, Tiffany walked over to the cabinet and proceeded to open it, ignoring the protests of the assisting SOLDIERs.

"It's the lance... He was going to train me when he came back from Midgar... He never wore gloves when he used it. Maybe... Maybe I don't need to, either. He will help me."

Pressing a flat palm against the cabinet and closing her eyes, Tiffany immediately re-opened them, sending the glass all around the storage area, taking hold of the weapon before it struck the ground.

"HEY! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING? THIS IS A RESTRICTED LOCATION AT THIS TIME OF NIGHT! STATE YOUR BUSINESS!" Raising his head with a smirk, Sephiroth leapt up at the two Infantrymen and vanished in a cloud of smoke, re-materialising behind them with his blade swooping to the ground, ending the lives of the troops in the blink of an eye. Turning his attention back to the group, he spoke calmly and professionally.

"Close the lockup, split up and rendezvous at the Airport. Move quickly and silently. Angeal, you and Zack protect Tiffany. Genesis and I will handle the approaching squads."

Stopping dead in her tracks, Tiffany spun the lance around her back before standing between Genesis and Sephiroth, aiming the tip of the weapon towards the oncoming horde of Shin-Ra troops. "I have to train, right? What is this if not a perfect time to practise?"

Tiffany was met with a grin from Sephiroth, the sound of Genesis closing his book, pocketing it and drawing his crimson rapier, Angeal drawing his longsword, Zack mirroring his former mentor's action and watched them all enter their trademark fighting stances. Looking up at the Shin-Ra troops ahead, Angeal shook his head briefly, drawing a smirk. "She's just like John..."

End Of Chapter Four


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five: Quayside Quarrel

Briefly turning his gaze to his allies, Zack smirked. "So, who's charging first? H-hey! Wait for me!" In an instant, Sephiroth, Angeal, Genesis and Tiffany sped toward the seemingly-endless wave of Shin-Ra forces that approached them. With Zack catching the squad up, Tiffany made the first move. "This is for John!"

Feeling a surge of power rush through her body, Tiffany spun the lance and her body around three hundred-and-sixty degrees in the middle of the wave of troops, causing the forty-seven guards that were struck to collapse onto the ground, screaming in perpetual agony as they felt their bodies experience rapid degradation, cell by cell.

Smirking as he watched Tiffany utilize the weapon, Sephiroth leapt towards one of the commanding officers and unleashed one of his signature moves, the 'Octaslash'. "Cut... Vanish!" Allowing a few low-ranking Infantrymen to pass him, Sephiroth closed his hand tightly, retaining his smirk as the surrounding area darkened, overhead clouds formed and numerous bolts of lightning erupted, striking the passing troops, along with some that Genesis was carving through. "Ruination to all..."

Growling as he cast yet another 'Fire 3' spell from his hand, Genesis glared at Sephiroth for a brief moment before sending his rapier through the stomach of one guardsman, impaling him, swinging the blade around his back and throwing the corpse off of the blade and into another group who had set their sights on Tiffany. The martial artist (and now lance-wielder) nodded her thanks to the crimson SOLDIER, immediately causing the degradation of more guards.

Zack and Angeal stood back-to-back and continuously spun on their heels, cutting through every guard that approached them and deflecting every single bullet, sending the rounds into the exposed areas of the troops who fired their automatic weapons. "Angeal, this is too easy!" Smirking as he closed his fist and cast 'Quake 3' towards the battalion, Angeal turned his head towards Zack for a brief moment, sighing. "Remember, Zack. Focus!"

After a few moments of carving, casting and degrading, the four SOLDIERs (along with Tiffany) stood side-by-side once more, consuming the necessary restorative items for the next obstacle. Sephiroth was the first to speak. "As I has previously stated... We should head toward the Airport. I have an idea." Scratching the back of his head and smirking, Zack had a pretty good hunch as to what his friend's plan was.

"Let me guess... You're planning to steal the Highwind?" Shaking his head and laughing, Sephiroth pointed upwards, towards the Air Traffic Control Tower. "Not straight away, Puppy. Firstly, we have to shut down the control tower. Seeing as you are so eager to work, you have the honour of disabling said tower. Once that task is completed, send confirmation to one of us and we shall make our way to the airship." Nodding in defeat towards his allies, Zack left the group and made his way toward Junon's Airport Path.

While that happened, Tiffany grabbed her PHS and dialled a number. "Captain? It's Tiffany. We're about to liberate something of yours from Shin-Ra and we feel that we need you with us..."

End Of Chapter Five


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six: Haunted In My Dreams...

Sephiroth, Angeal, Tiffany and Genesis waited aboard the Highwind for Zack, who had just radioed in to inform them of his task being completed and that he was on his way to their location. Grunting, Genesis snapped the phone shut and walked towards the railing which prevented access and harm from the glass floor beyond, where he chose to open LOVELESS and continue reading.

Angeal sat himself down at the helm, having been the only one willing to volunteer. (Minus Tiffany who had no prior aviation training.). Sephiroth waited for Zack on the Outer Deck, crossing his arms and began his thoughts of a plan to find John. Noticing a glint in the distance, the swordsman drew a tenacious smirk before raising his left hand, knowing he could have a little fun while the rest of the squad weren't looking.

"This will do nicely..." Zack looked overhead as he ran towards the airship, noticing a set of familiar clouds, the same clouds that hovered over Shin-Ra Infantrymen at Junon's Quayside. Growling, Zack doubled his running speed. "Ugh... Why, now, Sephiroth? That one almost hit me!"

Performing intricate somersaults, acrobatics and numerous evasion techniques to avoid the lighting shower, Zack ended up a few feet away from the Highwind, smirking as he vaulted himself up from the ground and onto the Outer Deck, raising his gaze to meet Sephiroth's.

Just when the silver-haired swordsman was about to torment the young 1st Class, a loud roar could be heard above them. Giving each other a look which said: 'There will be another time.', both Zack and Sephiroth made their way to the Bridge.

Bidding her goodbyes to the rest of the squad, Tiffany made her way towards the cabin, opened the door and locked it behind her, collapsing onto the bed and was almost immediately overcome by exhaustion. It had been a trying day for her. While she slept, a voice resonated within her subconsciousness, the images blurry.

_"___Tifa... D-Don't be alarmed... I-It's me... It's John. L-Listen, I haven't got much time before they realise what I've done. You need to find the facility called 'Howling Fang'. If you haven't already, find Genesis and the rest of the squad. I-If Angeal finds my lance, ask him to train you. It will help you greatly. Hurry, my love. Don't let them start 'Project-A'..." "HEY! YOU! STOP RIGHT THERE! YOU SHOULD BE IN YOUR CELL! HOW ON GAIA DID YOU GET OUT?" "Tifa, I... I have to go... I love you..."__

Waking up with a blood-curdling scream and tear-soaked bedding, Tiffany ran towards the Bridge. Zack was drinking a 'Hero Drink' which he managed to spill all over his uniform when Tiffany burst through the doors. Realising something was very, very wrong, he ignored the beverage and rushed over to his friend, comforting her by rubbing her back slowly and softly. "Tiffany, what's wrong?" Shutting her eyes tightly to hold back rogue tears, the brunette stammered.

"I... I... I know where John is..." Genesis closed his book, Sephiroth and he ventured toward the group and Angeal swiveled around in his seat, not before flicking the 'Autopilot which Cid Highwind doesn't fuckin' need!' switch. Getting up and placing a hand on Tiffany's shoulder, Angeal was the first to speak.

"How did you manage to speak to him? Was it a dream of sorts?" Nodding her head, Tiffany clung to Zack's uniform, refusing to open her eyes. "He... He... He said... To go to a facility called... 'Howling Fang', and... S-Something called 'Project-A', which cannot be st-started..." Lowering his gaze for a brief moment before looking back up at the group, Sephiroth shook his head.

"Why would John be at 'Howling Fang'? It was an old nightclub for fans of Kalm Fangs, Nibel Wolves, Bandersnatches and canine beasts alike." Gasping a little too loudly, Genesis came to the realisation of what might happen to the world. "Angeal, we need to go to Banora... NOW. I know EXACTLY where John is! Do not ask any questions... JUST GET US THERE."

All Angeal had to do was nod and turn in his seat, plot a course and fly towards the famed 'Dumbapple Village'.

End Of Chapter Six


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven: Laboratory Assault

Once the squad had formed their quickest plan ever, (Thanks to Genesis knowing John's exact location and invaluable facts about the mysterious 'Howling Fang' facility.) Tiffany and her SOLDIER escorts sorted through and equipped their necessary items, Materia, and accessories before locking down the Highwind and charging towards the 'Howling Fang Nightclub'.

Zack raised his forearm up to his face, checking the device strapped to his wrist. "Guys, don't you think we should switch off our D.M.W. Readers? I mean, what if Shin-Ra have been watching and listening to us since we left the the Headquarters? What if President Shinra, Heidegger, Scarlet, Palmer, Reeve and even Professor Hojo know of our plans, every battle, every word we've spoken and every action we've taken up to this point? I know the Readers enhance our Mako-infused abilities tenfold, but do we really need them? We're SOLDIER, for Gaia's sake! Well, ex-SOLDIER. I'm not taking any chances. I'm switching mine off."

Without another word, Zack deactivated his Digital Mind Wave Reader, watching his former SOLDIER squadmates mirror the actions of the 'Restless Puppy'.

Nodding their approval at each other, Tiffany and the squad were certainly taking no chances as they tore through the crowds, not stopping to apologise or help anyone unfortunate enough to be knocked down by one of the team up from the ground.

Raising his hand and signalling 'This is it. Ready your weapons.' to the squad behind him, Genesis waited for universal confirmation before casting a 'Fire 2' spell at the titanium blast door, which tore it off its hinges and sent it into the path of an unlucky Guardsman who was crushed by the door, leaving only a pool of crimson liquid which quickly covered the floor.

Carving their way through monsters, lab experiments, Guardsmen, scientists and wrought-iron bars alike, the squad reached the lowest floor of the facility, which Genesis knew contained John. Turning to the squad, he quickly devised a strategy.

"Sephiroth, you head to Cells Ninety-One to Ninety-Nine. Angeal, you check Cells Seventy-One to Seventy-Nine. Zack, you take Cells Eighty-One to Eighty-Nine. Tiffany and I will inspect Cell One Hundred where the Maximum Security inmate resides. Radio in as soon as you find John. Signal your location upon discovery and we will regroup with you there. Break."

Nodding in unison, the squad made their way to their respective locations. An ear-splitting snarl of agony told them all exactly who and where the sound was coming from. Without waiting for everybody else, Tiffany broke apart from Genesis with tear-drenched cheeks, determined to find her long-lost love.

End Of Chapter Seven


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Stole a pre-battle quote from Seymour Flux in this chapter. Sorrynotsorry. -AtrophyFinest.

Chapter Eight: Finding the Lost Warrior

Tiffany Lockhart channeled as much as energy as possible into her shoulders, right before she tackled the iron bars, snapping them cleanly as she skidded to a halt in front of John's bed. Immediately kneeling down to the bedside, she clung onto her soulmate for dear life, her emotions overloading as she let out every single tear she'd shed since learning of his 'passing'.

A cracked, broken voice snapped her from the emotional breakdown, causing her to look into the eyes of John. "T-Tifa... You found me... Heh, I see you have the lance... I-It looks good on you... You... You never stopped being... Beautiful... You must... You must leave... Leave, before he comes back... I'll buy you time... And... And be with you shortly... I promise you."

Caressing Tiffany's cheek and kissing her with the promise of undying love that he left in the pendant for her, John gazed into her eyes and felt a surge of power within him. Feeling her body illuminate as she witnessed her lover draw a wide, trademark smirk, Tiffany knew that John's power was returning. Kissing her again, John jumped onto his feet, grinning as he saw his old squadmates approach the cell.

"You guys sure took your time finding me... Angeal, Zack, Sephiroth, Genesis, it's been too long. Listen, we'll have to deal with the emotional stuff once we get out of here. Listen, I'll be able to buy you all enough time to escape. Protect Tifa AT ALL COSTS. I'm sorry, Tifa, but John needs his lance back."

Nodding frantically at the newly-restored warrior of degradation, Tiffany unclipped the lance from her shoulder strap and handed it to him, gazing in admiration as he spun the weapons between his fingers, retaining the devious smirk. Hearing a loud voice from the opposite end of the corridor, John kissed Tiffany one last time, nodded to his friends and took his fighting stance towards the sound of the ever-nearing voice.

"You have one minute to get out of here before the facility is completely locked down. I'll be fine. Time's ticking. Take this, it's a Speed Drink I managed to swipe from one of the scientists."

Regrettably having to suffer the pain of leaving her first love a second time, Tiffany raised the bottle up to her lips and swallowed a small amount of the carbonated beverage, immediately drawing a grin at the feeling of the power rushing through her before handing the bottle to her protectors.

After each of the ex-SOLDIER members (minus John.) had consumed their share of the liquid, Genesis nodded to John before grabbing Tiffany's wrist and leading everyone out of the facility.

Smirking at his targets through brown, matted locks, John charged towards the forty Makonoids that seemed to pour out of the cells. "Your hope ends here, and your meaningless existence with it!"


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine: Experimental Escape

Powering through each and every single Makonoid, John's movements with his lance were as graceful as they were when he was in his primal fighting condition. Even though he was till woozy and in severe agony from the torturous experiments that he was forced to endure at the daemonic hands of Shin-Ra's virtually non-existent scientists, his strikes, parries and counter-thrusts were completely effortless.

Drawing his wide, trademark smirk, he decimated the final Makonoid with a Bio3 Spell, before slumping to the ground, his MP and energy completely drained. Growling as his ears emitted a shrill ring which tore at his vision, blurring it more and more with each sting at his optic nerves, he regained complete focus when he heard the sound of a gun cocking behind him. "Get up, experiment. You're going back to the cells.".

Keeping his eyes closed, John smirked and closed one of his fists for a few seconds before opening both his fist and eyes with a snarl, he leapt up and glared at his enemy with malice in his eyes, his voice completely different to his own, it possessed a daemonic tone, one which could reduce an entire religion to a gibbering mess in the blink of an eye, that which left the guard in a state of upright paralysis. "YOU WILL SUFFER THE ETERNAL WRATH OF HELL FOR THE PAIN YOU AND YOUR ALLIES HAVE CAUSED ME! ACID RAIN!".

With the sound of his incantation filling the entire laboratory (and further if the walls and all surroundings weren't soundproofed.), John bore his most evil smirk as he watched his enemy scream in perpetual agony as he felt each layer of his body slowly being ripped away by every drop of rain that hit him. First, his Grunt's uniform melted away, then his underclothing, then his skin, his flesh, his bones and finally his nerves and organs, till all that remained on the entrails-sodden laboratory floor was an eyeball (with a frayed optic nerve attached.), a pair of dog-tags, his assault rifle and a photo of him with who presumed to be his wife and newborn child.

Releasing a deep sigh as he felt remorse for his actions, John picked up the photo and examined it, shaking his head as he read aloud the overleaf text which was written in a red ink.

"The child isn't yours, he belongs to Derek. He is the boy's father. You shouldn't have taken that offer Shin-Ra gave you. I want you to die for the shame you brought upon this family. Marcia.". Smirking at the dog-tags, John picked up his lance and muttered something to himself before sprinting toward the exit. "I've done you a favour, sorry it ended up like this.".

Tiffany and the other SOLDIERs reached the door to the outside world, holding back as they waited for their squad-mate. In true Genesis-fashion, the crimson-clad SOLDIER leaned against the wall and opened his copy of LOVELESS, reciting the poem to himself as he remembered the previous argument with Sephiroth.

Zack examined and re-examined his blade, looking for chips and cracks. Angeal exchanged Materia with Sephiroth (the latter not wanting to give away his MASTERed orbs to "A 1st Class SOLDIER with no title to prove his supposed 'authority to use my Materia, even if only on a loaning period."'.), while Tiffany cracked her fingers and subsequently performed stretches and warm-up exercises, praying to the Planet that John was okay. Little did she know that the pendant around her neck glowed brighter than ever.

Turning his head to the sound of footsteps from the other end of the hallway and closing his book with a loud snap, Genesis drew his Rapier with a stern look in his eyes, but lowered the blade when Angeal smiled at him, the latter's facial expression telling the former all he needed to know. Zack noticed the silent exchange and stood up with a wide grin, running a gloved hand through his hair.

In the blink of an eye, Tiffany squealed as she saw John's bloodied and scarred form, immediately running toward him with open arms, retaining her posture as he slumped into her embrace, battered, weary but unbeaten. Smirking as he felt his true love gripping his clothing and clinging to him for dear life, John managed to emit a few words from a very hoarse throat.

"Heh... Fancy... Fancy seeing you here, Miss Lockhart... This is... Becoming a... Ugh... A habit... Of us running... Into each other... Ha..." Allowing sleep to overcome him, John shut his eyes, collapsing in his lover's arms. Drawing a wide smirk of her own, Tiffany gazed at the SOLDIERs that helped her bring John back to her.

"And just what are YOU all looking at? Haven't you ever seen this sort of thing? Not even in the films?" Zack was about to make a pedantic remark towards the martial artist, but was silenced by Angeal's gloved hand. Unable to fight the urge to burst into laughter, Tiffany clung to John and joined her friends (even Zack!) in a fit of victorious laughter.

The laughter was soon stopped, however, when Tiffany's PHS rang. Managing to keep John in her arms AND retrieve the device, Tiffany answered the caller. "Cid? What's wrong? What's happened?" Extremely concerned at the usually obnoxiously-loud pilot's hushed tone, Tiffany gave the SOLDIERs a look which said that Cid was in deep trouble.

"Tiffany... Shin-Ra know you broke into the lab and got what's-his-name out of there. They've commandeered the plane, all of the 1st Class SOLDIERs! You'd better hope you have some REAL strong backup with you, or we'll never get my craft back. Shit, Yuffie! Now is NOT the time to get AIRSICK. We're not even fuckin' airborne! I swear to fucking Gaia, when we get the Highwind back, I'll tie you to the roof and perform the old stunts I learnt in Shin-Ra's Aviation Academy!"

Tiffany knew the look that Yuffie would have on her face after Cid's threat and mouthed her response perfectly. "I'll pop an air-sickness pill!" Her skin turned white as she heard gunfire which she knew came from Barret and waited for Cid to speak.

"Shit, Tiffany, get your ass and the asses of your squad to the HighWind, ASAP! Be prepared for a REAL shit-storm when you leave the nightclub! COME AND GET ME, YOU ARMOR-CLAD PUSSIES! THIS IS MY AIRSHIP!"

Hanging up as soon as she heard Cid's spear cutting through the air, she hunched John up onto her shoulders and motioned the squad to follow her, her hand signals informing her team-mates of the threat that lied ahead, and where their destination would be.

Each SOLDIER drawing his weapon, Tiffany wielded John's lance once more, her thoughts clouding her mind before she would step out of the door with her squad. "Why did they do this to you... All for the lance...? Or was it something else...? Help me, John. Tell me what to do...". With a confident look on his face, Zack waited for the unified agreement from his friends as he opened the door. "Okay, this is it! We cut through the troops out here and make a break for the Highwind. FOR John!"

End Of Chapter Nine


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: In case you're wondering what Tiffany's attack with the lance is based from, it's based on Squall Leonhart's Blasting Zone Limit Break and one of Laguna Loire's attacks from Dissidia. (Which I can't remember the name of off the top of my head.).

Chapter Ten: One Stray Bullet...

Tiffany, Zack, Genesis, Angeal and Sephiroth cut through every single member of Shin-Ra that stood in their way, spells and weapons clashed so violently that the whole Banoran Valley* seemed to shake. Noticing this amongst the ever-increasing pile-up of felled Shin-Ra troops, Zack was about to mention it to the rest of the group when it happened in a flash.

Blood flew past his eyes and a loud, shrill, agonising cry almost ruptured the eardrums of the Mako-enhanced warriors, barring John, who was still out for the count, Tiffany clutching him tightly, until she noticed a rapidly-forming patch of crimson on his uniform.

A stray bullet from a Shin-Ra sniper had been deflected by Zack's blade and unwillingly into the chest of the long-haired lance-man, hitting it's mark right in the centre of his heart. Her eyes rolling back into her head due to the shock and the horrifying thought of being left alone in this world, she picked up the lance and used the blunt end to support her standing on the barren, patchy earth beneath her feet.

As if by some unknown force, time and everything around her seemed to stop, even the actions of her friends, as Tiffany raised the lance high above her head, the degraded tip pointing far towards the skies above. If looks could kill, Tiffany Lockhart's would even make The Great Sephiroth tremble in absolute fear.

Throwing her head up to look at the skies, she glared up at them and moved not a hairline as a gigantic purple beam shot from the lance all the way to the heavens above. Not lowering her gaze from the skies, she drew a confident smirk that would rival John's before bringing the trembling weapon down, aimed straight in front of the army that faced herself and her comrades.

The Shin-Ra troopers and commanding officers had literally no time to react as the gigantic beam cut through every last one of them like a knife through melted butter. When the few Shin-Ra stragglers began to make a last-ditch attempt of retreat, Tiffany held a flat palm in front of her, her eyes flaring a deep indigo, snarling at the monsters responsible for John's captivity and eventual mortal wounding.

"YOU FUCKING BASTARDS! I ONLY JUST GOT HIM BACK! TAKE THIS!" With those words, the beam (still retaining its sheer power and size), fired smaller fragments, homing in on every last Shin-Ra employee, sending the agonising energy through their skulls.

In an instant, Tiffany slumped to the ground and immediately clutched John tightly, pulling him to her chest, screaming at her friends who stood there, dumbfounded. "HELP ME! SOMEONE BRING HIM BACK!" Endless tears rained down her face like the floodgates of a dam had burst, the young fighter shaking her lover's limp body, wishing she could do something.

The pendant around her neck dimmed in colour, till the last glimmer of purple extinguished from the crystal, Tiffany Lockhart's world ending.

A gloved hand met her shoulder, but she didn't even notice it. Sephiroth knelt down next to her, barely managing to handle his own emotions. "Tiffany, we have to... Go. We need to get back to the airship."

Pushing the hand away, Tiffany clung to her fallen love tighter, before standing up, carrying the fallen soul in her arms. Her voice never held such a quiver before this moment. "Go on ahead. Bring the airship closer to John and I. We'll be fine. No arguments. Go. NOW."

Sephiroth took one look at the two lovers and turned around with a nod towards his SOLDIER cohorts, the sadness in his turquoise eyes told them everything they needed to know.

They had only walked a few paces before they heard Tiffany bawling her eyes out, the salty teardrops landing on John's bloodied uniform like a downpour. Genesis turned his gaze towards Sephiroth as they made haste for the airship. "What... What can we do for him? He's one of us! He can't just leave us like this!"

Angeal was the one to respond to Genesis with his own faint voice. "We can't do a thing for him. I know it's difficult. We have to continue on." Zack groaned loudly, refusing to believe what had happened. "It's like Gaia conjured up a whirlwind and... Wait a second... That's it!" Genesis growled. "Puppy, we do NOT have the time to present metaphorical weather readings."

"No, no, don't you all see what's being said? We CAN do something for John! The Whirlwind Maze! The Huge Materia there, remember with Tiffany's pendant? We bring John to the Materia, we bring back John!"

Angeal nodded his head, a corner of his mouth tugged upwards into a full smirk. "Zack, run back to Tiffany and John, bring them back here. We'll place John in the sickbay, rescue AVALANCHE from Shin-Ra, prepare ourselves and head to the Northern Continent. MOVE."

Replying with his own nod and smirk, Zack rushed back towards Tiffany, a wide grin of hope plastered on his face.

They had a chance.

End Of Chapter Ten


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven: Skyward Skirmish

With Zack relaying the SOLDIERs message to Tiffany, the broken warrior (now filled with a new sense of hope and strength), had slung John over her shoulders and jogged toward the SOLDIERs with a sprint, leaving Zack to fall behind. "Tiffany! Wait for me!" Refusing to look back, Tiffany doubled her speed, rivalling that of even Sephiroth.

Ahead, Sephiroth, Angeal and Genesis reached the Highwind, the violent sound of battle could easily be heard from outside. Drawing their weapons, Angeal formed a plan.

"Tiffany and Zack are on their way. I will stay with Zack, the two of us covering Tiffany and John till we can safely get them into the sickbay. Genesis, you go up to the outer deck, be on the lookout for any Shin-Ra reinforcements. Sephiroth, find AVALANCHE, give them all the support they need. We MUST have the Highwind clear and safe within the next ten minutes, or we'll never reach the Northern Continent in time to save John. Ready? Go."

Responding to their commands with silent nods, the two SOLDIER generals made their way aboard the airship, while Angeal stayed behind, waiting for Tiffany. Nodding at her as she approached (along with John and Zack), Angeal spoke with a higher pace than usual.

"We have ten minutes to clear the airship. Genesis and Sephiroth are already aboard, I'm staying with the three of you, covering you till we can safely place John into sickbay, you'll have to stay with him. Zack, draw your sword. We have work to do." Nodding at their orders, Zack followed the others closely behind, covering from the rear.

"AND JUST WHO THE BLOODY FUCKIN' HELL ARE YOU ABOARD MY AIRSHIP? DON'T FUCKIN' MAKE ME ATTACK YOU, I'M ALREADY AT MY BASTARD LIMIT! IF YOU PUSH MY FUCKIN' BUTTONS ONCE MORE, JUST ONCE FUCKIN' MORE, YOU'LL MEET THE END OF MY SPEAR IN A DRAGON DIVE!"

Wincing a little at the pilot's _colourful_ language, Sephiroth explained that he was to assist the group in any way he could. Grunting, Cid Highwind calmed down, immediately lighting up another cigarette, the metal floor of the cargo bay littered with empty packets. Inhaling the nicotine and other chemicals, he smirked and gestured toward the bridge.

"Barret's already up there along with Yuffie and Aeris. Fuckin' Shin-Ra. What are we waitin' for? This beauty ain't gonna fly herself! Fuck, I need some tea!" He was about to open his mouth to call (nay, _shout_!) for Shera to "Make some goddamn tea!", but she was back in Rocket Town. Sighing, he sprinted toward the bridge, a confused Sephiroth in tow.

Genesis reached the top deck and leaned against the railing, sighing with a smirk when he saw the Shin-Ra reinforcements on the horizon. "Hmph. Some things never change. They won't be here for at least an hour." Opening his book to its last marked page, he began reading the contents, calming himself before the inevitable fight.

Tiffany couldn't handle it any longer, the urge too strong to quell. Unwillingly snapping at one of her protectors, she took hold of her partner's weapon and ran towards the engine room. "Hold onto John! I'll be back in a few minutes! Come and get me, Shin-Ra bastards!"

Vaulting up into the air and landing on the back of one of the unsuspecting troops, Tiffany drove the lance through the steel helmet, easily piercing the target's skull and brain. With a sickening 'Pop', she withdrew the weapon from it's cavity, pirouetting on her toes and driving it into a trio of infantrymen who were too slow to react.

The adrenaline rush consuming her, Tiffany went nuts, wiping out every last trooper she could lay her hands on. Zack looked at Angeal, unsure of what just happened before his eyes. "Zack, focus. We get John to the sickbay. Three minutes left." Nodding at his mentor, Zack slung John over his shoulder, covering their flank with magic while Angeal cleared a path.

Smirking up from his treasured copy of LOVELESS, Genesis threw one of his arms in the air, closing his fist tightly, reciting more of the play as the clouds above him darkened and then broke apart, revealing a black dragon with yellow underbelly, the screech from her powerful lungs was deafening. Pointing toward the approaching Shin-Ra forces, Genesis nodded at the dragon he had summoned. "Destroy them, Bahamut! For the Planet!"

With those words, Bahamut increased her altitude till she was hovering over the unsuspecting waves of Shin-Ra. Opening her jaws widely, a purple ball of energy resonated from her mandibles, this charged for a few seconds before she aimed the blast right on top of the forces below, the beam known as 'Mega Flare', decimated the squadrons with a mighty explosion, nothing would have survived that.

Grinning as the dragon went back to the clouds, Genesis lowered his head and continued reading as though nothing had happened. Allowing a small chuckle to escape from his lips, he knew that Sephiroth wouldn't be listening.

"Too easy. I'd like to see __you__try and stop her, Sephiroth." He growled as he was interrupted from LOVELESS by an almighty roar. Immediately marking his page and placing the book inside his trench-coat, Genesis held onto the railing for a moment, not wanting to be thrown over the deck. "So much for a warning."

His stomach lurched as the airship launched from the barren earth, he was certain he could hear someone cheering from inside. Once the Highwind had levelled out, he leaned against the metal wall and re-opened his book, feeling at peace once more.

"Fuckin' Hell, ninja! GET OFF THE CONTROLS! Does this ship have YOUR name on the side? What? No? It doesn't? THEN MOVE THE FUCK BACK!"

Lighting what seemed to be his thirtieth cigarette today, Cid had just about had enough of Yuffie to last him a lifetime. Standing next to Cid, the silver-haired general smirked, clearly finding the exchange amusing.

His smirk dropped after a few moments, the topic instantly becoming more serious. "How long till we reach the Northern Continent?" Sighing loudly, Cid opened another pack of cigarettes. "Three fuckin' hours, and that isn't including the time to reach where you want to go, when we land." Sephiroth mirrored the pilot's sigh, resting his forehead in his palm.

The doors to the bridge were nearly ripped from their hinges as Barret Wallace entered like a juggernaut, a wide grin on his face, despite the entrance. "Hey, ex-SOLDIER! How about usin' ropes? Dun' give me that look, Highwind! Listun', we tie John ta one of our backs, we secure both peepul' with more ropes, slowly, and ah __mean__slowly, we lower 'em down tah the maze, gunna' save a lotta time!" Nodding in understanding, Cid immediately glared at Barret. "There's just one tiny problem... HOW THE FUCK ARE WE GONNA GET DOWN THERE?"

Placing a hand on the pilot's shoulder, Sephiroth smiled warmly at the fighting pair. "Leave that to Genesis, Angeal and myself. We shall provide means of lowering us all onto the surface." Dumbfounded, the tense atmosphere aboard the bridge died down as if nothing at all had happened. With those words, The Great Sephiroth walked out of the bridge, heading straight for sickbay.

With Angeal preparing the sickbay for their fallen comrade, Zack was instructed to find Tiffany. "This should be easy enough, all I've gotta do is follow the trail of degraded slush... Hey! Watch it! Wha- Get off! Ugh!"

Zack was met with a fist around his throat and his back against the wall, having being carried there. The grasp on his throat tightened a little, his eyes darting up to his attacker's, immediately clawing at their hands.

"ZACK! WHERE THE FUCK... NO... WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING HERE!? I GAVE YOU AN ORDER! WHERE IS John!?" All Zack could do was provide the brunette with a weak hand gesture towards the sickbay, hacking and coughing when he was dropped to the ground, a mild smirk on his features. "He's really... Ugh... Really trained her well... She's got it bad..."

Tiffany closed her fists tightly, sighing deeply as everything slowly calmed down, her senses returning to normal, regulating her breathing as she gently opened the door to the sickbay, one of her hands immediately pushed through the door jam, letting Angeal know that she wasn't hostile. Lowing his blade, Angeal's gaze immediately returned to John.

"Come in, Tiffany. I've done the best I can for him. All we can do now is hope that we can get there fast enough to save him. You should probably stay with him, Tiffany. He'll need you. I know there's no signs of life, but he hasn't returned to the Planet, as of yet. There's still time. I'll leave the two of you alone. Sephiroth, I've just finished explaining everything to her. Why are you smirking? I don't know why Zack has handprints on his neck. __Really___?_" Smirking, Angeal turned towards Tiffany, informing her of Barret's suggestion. Responding with a huge grin and a squeeze of her lover's hand, her eyes glimmered, and just for the briefest of moments, she swore that John smirked, just a little bit, though she kept that thought to herself.

"Soon, John. We'll be there soon." Leaning over and kissing his forehead lightly, Tiffany Lockhart slowly curled up next to the master of degradation, allowing sleep to consume her as she twirled a lock of his unruly hair around her finger, burying her face in his neck.

End Of Chapter Eleven


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: In this chapter, a certain character is _sort-of_using their Level 4 Limit Break, albeit a little differently.

Chapter Twelve: Whirlwind Descent

Slowing the Highwind down to a hover and levelling the airship out over the jagged, twisted chasm, Cid briefly looked over his shoulder at Zack, who was still nursing a pained throat, motioning toward the Cargo Bay.

"Go and get your friend. Everything's set up. I'm staying aboard here, someone has to look after her. Don't fuckin' argue with me, Zack." Turning on his heel with a nod, Zack began to walk through the bridge doors when he was stopped by Barret, an apologetic look in the giant's eyes.

"Dun' mind Cid. He's ovuh prutechtive of 'is airship. Look, I'll be goin' down wit' you all, John will be strapped to mah back. Go and let Tif'uh'nee know." Responding with a smile, Zack was stopped by the same giant's fist, grabbing his collar and slamming him into the wall, the once apologetic look now replaced by sheer fury and malice.

"Listen to me, Zack. If Tif'uh'nee doesn't come back, I'll kill you. She's like a daughter to me. Make sure you ALL get back safe. You got that? I know you're one of us, but... Just go and get ready. This ain't the time to bickuh." Placing a hand on his friend's shoulder, Zack nodded and walked towards the sickbay, his eyes full of strength and promise.

By the time Zack reached the sickbay, Tiffany and Angeal had just finished preparing John for the last-ditch attempt to revive him. Tiffany refused to let go of the man she loved, but reluctantly did so after planting a small kiss on his forehead, whispering something inaudible. Zack nodded in Tiffany's direction, and Tiffany stood up, giving John one final glance before leaving the sickbay to equip herself for the descent into the maze.

In the Cargo Bay, Yuffie was virtually clinging to Genesis. All Sephiroth could do was smirk. "It seems that Genesis isn't so 'LOVELESS'." The Great Sephiroth was attacked by a glare from his friend, but Genesis couldn't brush the young girl away. "You would do well to remember that I have morals, Sephiroth. This proves that you are not the __only__hero." A pair of deep, turquoise eyes were sent in the path of the crimson-clad elite. "A redux atop the cannon will be in order..."

Just as Genesis was going to draw his rapier, the two SOLDIERs stepped back when John's lance was just a hairline from their noses. Tiffany shook her head, knowing that the rivalry between the two elites would never change. "Look, there will be plenty of time for all of this, just... Not right now. Genesis, you and Sephiroth still have to tell us how we'll enter the maze."

The Great Sephiroth drew a confident smirk. "Seeing as there aren't enough ropes for us all, and some of us will have to stay aboard the airship, the 'well-spoken' Captain excluded, Genesis and I will be using Float spells. I know what you are all thinking about such magic being a mere myth in storybooks, but I assure you that it is real."

The Wutaiian ninja piped up, excited about the prospect of new Materia. "Why can't we just bring the Huge Materia up here? Wouldn't it make more sense to do that? Hey! I'm talking here, making a valid point!"

The whole group remained silent, until a steel-toed boot slammed on the metal flooring of the Cargo Bay. Everyone turned to look at Tiffany, who was already walking toward the Loading Ramp, a fierce glare of determination in flaring in her eyes.

"If no-one else is bothering, fuck you all! BARRET! GET DOWN HERE, NOW!" Everyone, including Barret winced at Tiffany's volume. Not wanting to cross her path, Barret had strapped the smirking SOLDIER to his back and ran towards the Loading Ramp, grabbing his rope with his only hand.

Nodding at the brunette martial artist, he began his descent into the maze, Angeal and Zack immediately following.

As Tiffany and Barret made their way into the jagged, twisted chasm, Zack looked out to the horizon, his eyes widening at the sight. "Shin-Ra! It's their entire Air Force! We need to move faster, guys!"

A faint crackle could be heard from the descending team's radios. "You guys make your way down, I have a surprise aboard this ship for those Shin-Ra fuckers!" As the team continued abseiling down, Captain Highwind drew a wide smirk as he flipped a switch on his control board.

"They won't expect this...!" After a few moments, Cid lit another cigarette as the hull of the Highwind opened up at both sides with loud hisses of steam, revealing numerous holes. What Cid knew and Shin-Ra _didn't_, was that they were missile silos, containing guided rockets.

With an evil grin, Cid launched the rockets, and using the control sticks to guide the rocket's trajectories, the rockets were launched towards the incoming Shin-Ra aircraft, which were taken out in numerous chain reactions. Yuffie witnessed this and cheered loudly, bouncing all around the Cargo Bay.

"AWESOME! GET 'EM, CID!" The hyperactive Ninja spun on her heel and fell over, grumbling loudly when she heard Cid's voice on the tannoy. "That's the last of 'em! The second team should move down, now! I mean NOW, before those motherfucking pieces of shit return!"

Genesis walked up to Yuffie and offered her a hand, which she happily accepted, a huge grin on her face. Her face was redder than the crimson coat of her 'conquest'. "My... My hero...!" The ex-SOLDIER nodded and smirked, deftly pulling the young Ninja to her feet, making his way to the rest of his team, Float spell already charged. Sephiroth nodded at his team, both he and Genesis casting the Float spells to the AVALANCHE members, determined to save John.

Deep in the twisted chasm, Tiffany, Angeal, Barret and Zack were moments away from the Huge Materia, resolve shining in their eyes. Zack was at the front of the foursome, halting his pace as he listened out onto the horizon.

"They're coming... Shin-Ra!" Angeal clenched his fist, snarling. "There's no time! We have to move, NOW!" The group sprinted towards the Huge Independent Materia, Tiffany not realising that her pendant was glowing again.

Barret stopped in his tracks and growled, glaring up at the sky. "One of those fuckin' birds shat on me! Ma fuckin' shoulder's wet!" Tiffany spun on her heel, a wave of shock and happiness shining in her eyes, brighter than the pendant which was positively glimmering. "Barret! Bring him here and turn your back to me!" Barret nodded and complied with a grunt, immediately following his friend's instruction.

As soon as the dark-skinned giant reached Tiffany and turned around, he managed to unfasten the straps which secured the ex-SOLDIER, sighing happily as the weight lifted from his shoulders. "Much bettuh'... He's heavy..."

Tiffany let her partner fall into his arms, caressing his cheek, praying that she wasn't in the middle of a hellish nightmare. Her heart nigh stopped when she heard a low, rumbling groan against her chest. "Mmm, warm..." Tiffany felt her insides heat up as she knew her assets were giving her lover a very positive reaction. She smirked and hugged him tighter against her chest. Her voice was but a shaky whisper. "You're back... You're really back..."

She giggled when she felt his mumbled response against her full chest. "Miss me...?" She smirked and played with his hair, completely lost in him and only him. "You have no idea..." He chuckled against his partner's bosom and smirked.

"Let me stay here..." She squeezed him and sighed happily. "Wait till we get back. We have a job to do." He nodded and briefly wrapped his arms around her waist. "Help me stand, Tiffany?" Tiffany grasped John's shoulders and slowly pulled him to his feet. He grinned and kissed his lover with a fuelled passion brighter than any Holy Materia before reaching around Tiffany's back, grasping his lance.

"Sorry, I need this." She grinned and checked the Materia in her gloves, which she equipped before leaving the Highwind.

John craned his neck to look up at the Aurora Borealis covering the Whirlwind Maze, the lance humming in his hands. "I hope you're ready for us, Shin-Ra. It takes more than one bullet to wipe out a member of SOLDIER."

Performing his signature victory pose, he clipped his lance to his back and opened his hand, Tiffany immediately clutching it and locking her fingers with his.

End Of Chapter Twelve


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen: Possession is Nine-Tenths of the Law

John narrowed his eyes as he focused his gaze on the Shin-Ra forces heading their way. He released a grunt, squeezing Tiffany's hand. "It's the last wave. We haven't got long to prepare. By the looks of it, no... Not him... FUCK!" John released his grip from his lover's hand and fell to the craggy ground, clutching his head, trying to fight off some invisible entity that was wreaking havoc with his entire being.

Tiffany immediately knelt down to aid her partner in any way she could. She caressed his hair, trying to soothe him. Her voice was but a whisper. "John? What is it?" John snarled and began tugging at his uniform, which suddenly felt white-hot to him. "The... The Demon... It's coming... T-T... Tifa... Tell Zack... Tell... Tell Zack to... Get... G-Genesis... And... And... S-S-S-Sephiroth... And... A-A-Angeal... They... They can r-r-resist... I... I'm... Failing... Hurry...!"

Without a moment to spare, Tiffany nodded to her lover with tear-stained cheeks and relayed the message to Zack, who in turn informed his ex-SOLDIER comrades. Tiffany immediately knelt back down, next to the man she loved, refusing to have him torn from her again.

"Who is it, John? Who's the Demon?" John's violet eyes flared, something was claiming his soul. "H...H...Hollander...! G-get out of here... Leave..." Tiffany clung to her lover, she wasn't losing him again.

"No, no fucking way! I'm not fucking losing you again! We'll fight this together, do you fucking hear me, John?" All John could do was reach out with his hand, his body writhing in sheer agony.

Tiffany instantly grabbed his hand, clutching it as tightly as she could. She prayed to the Planet that he would be spared from the horrors upon him. The SOLDIER's veins bulged, his blood literally boiled beneath his skin. Sephiroth, Genesis and Angeal arrived a second later, all three of them tried prising Tiffany from her lover and her neck snapped back towards them, a fierce look raged in her eyes.

"If you want to get in the fucking way of us, just you fucking grab me again! I'm not letting go of him!" Genesis, Sephiroth and Angeal had never experienced love. It was forbidden under SOLDIER protocol. Zack had already been under reprimand from SOLDIER for being in a relationship with Aeris.

Tiffany reached into her backpack to grab her PHS. Dialling Cid's number with one hand, she switched on the phone's loudspeaker. "Cid? It's Tiffany! We need you to all to attack the incoming Shin-Ra aircraft! John's weakening due to the scientist on board!"

Cid's response was colourful, as to be expected. "We'll do what we fucking can, just get that lover-boy of yours fucking sorted, we don't want more shit to fucking deal with!" Growling as he re-adjusted the targeting systems, he lit another cigarette as he slammed his elbow on the 'LAUNCH' button.

The payload was launched from its metallic prisons, heading straight toward the Gelnika. The Gelnika's Captain slammed his fist down on his centre console. "EVASIVE ACTION! GET US OUT OF THE PATH OF THOSE MISSILES!"

One of the crewmembers at the Radar Station was frantic. A cold trail of perspiration crept down his spine. He knew what was inevitable. "Captain... We can't avoid that payload! We have to get the Professor out of here!"

The Gelnika's Captain roared into the microphone embedded in his console. "PROFESSOR HOLLANDER TO THE ESCAPE PODS! SECURITY TO ACCOMPANY HIM! I REPEAT..." The rest of the Captain's announcement was cut short as the missiles from the Highwind tore the Gelnika to shreds.

Cid smirked triumphantly and dialled Tiffany's number on his PHS. "It's all done, Tiffany! How's Lover-Boy?" Tiffany bawled into the speaker. "It's no good, Cid! He hasn't gotten any better!" A cold, evil voice surprised the whole of AVALANCHE.

"That's right, Miss Lockhart. It will take more than a few rockets to kill me. Professor Hojo wasn't so lucky, but he was useless, anyway. I've come back for my prize specimen. If you want to fight me for it, go ahead. But, I won't be fighting alone."

The man clenched his fist and grinned as John rose to his feet, pushing Tiffany to the ground. The lance-man turned to face Tiffany and her squad-mates, unclipping his lance and pointing it at them.

"I serve Professor Hollander. I will aid him in the completion of Project-A. No-one will stand in the way of the Professor's masterpiece. I will sacrifice myself for the glory of the Project. Face me, AVALANCHE. I will enjoy wiping every shred of your meaningless existences for the Professor."

Tiffany was transfixed in horror. "John... I'll bring you back! We've done it once, we can do it again!"

John bore his most evil smirk. "Then you will all die in vain."

End Of Chapter Thirteen


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen: Arrogance Breeds Negligence

Tiffany couldn't believe this was happening. She'd only just got her partner back, and now he was working with the enemy. Her voice was a shaky mess. "I've only just got you back... Why the fuck are you doing this, Hollander?!"

The scientist folded his arms and grinned. "It's simple. Your ever-loving is needed for the greatest experiment in the history of the Planet! He is the vessel to my eternal greatness! I will go down in the history books. Professor Hollander, the man who changed the face of existence! You know the Makonoids you all fought, all the monsters you battled to train yourselves? You are looking at the creator! Think about the Nibelheim Reactor! The Makonoids in those capsules? I put those members of SOLDIER there! When I'm finished with this vessel, he'll join them! If you all play your cards right, so will the whole of AVALANCHE! I'll make you all my Makonoid warriors! Nothing will stand in our way!"

Tiffany was in a state of disgust. She was going to use this to fight with. She couldn't bear to harm her lover, but she'd do what she had to for the safety of the Planet, and to bring her partner back to where he belonged. She clenched her fists and glared at the scientist, the monster responsible for all of this. "You can't defeat all of us, Hollander. We won't give up. You may as well give up right now!"

Hollander released a booming laugh from his diaphragm, Tiffany's words had no effect. "Is that __really__the best you can come up with for a threat? You're more pathetic than I thought! You know, it baffles me..."

Tiffany sneered. "What baffles you? The fact that you're going to pay?" Hollander shook his head. "No, how __easily__I managed to bring your lover under my control! When we first began the experiments in the old cells, he was much more resilient. I guess everyone has a breaking point. Well, that's what I'm here for, to break people, to shape them into greatness!"

Tiffany never kept her eyes off John and Hollander. The SOLDIER remained perfectly still, not a fragment of him moved, except for one of his eyes, though Tiffany thought she was imagining it when she caught a wink from the man she loved eternally. She was banking on this, she was absolutely certain that John was in control. She kept her stern gaze focussed on the two, though a message in her stance told John everything he needed to know.

Hollander, suspecting nothing, retained his grin and outstretched one of his arms, preparing to issue the command. "Specimen A-1, kill." John smirked evilly and in an instant, spun one-hundred and eighty degrees and slammed his lance into Hollander's chest, piercing the scientist's evil heart. "Gladly." Hollander cried out in agony, his whole body was slowly degrading. "Why...? The... The experiment... My... My everlasting... Greatness..."

John twisted the lance and glared into the scientist's eyes, his trademark smirk present. "You were always destined for greatness, Hollander. The failure. That was always to be your greatness. Did you __honestly__think that you'd be able to ruin the Planet? No. Not while AVALANCHE is around. We may seem like a rag-tag band of rebels, but we're fighting for Gaia, our home. We won't rest until every piece of scum is erased from existence. You are presently at the top of that list. We don't like killing, but with myself, Angeal, Zack and Sephiroth, it's become second-nature. Our first nature is LIVING. We'll live to protect the Planet. OUR PLANET."

Hollander's skin turn a deathly shade of grey. He didn't have much time left on the Planet. John wanted the man to suffer. "How... How did you escape my control...?" Gazing down at his chest, John then looked back into Hollander's eyes.

"It's simple. While you were practising your newly-mastered Control abilities, Doctor Lucrecia Crescent had found a way to break that system. See this ring? Resistance Materia. I never leave anywhere without it. Every single member of SOLDIER has one. In fact, Professor Hojo supported and aided the great Doctor in her research. Oh, but you knew that Professor Hojo wanted to help Shin-Ra with experiments to SAVE the Planet, that's why you ordered that assassination attempt on him. Well, the Captain had beaten you to it. It's a crying shame that he died, but I'll personally make sure that his name is kept in the history books. It's time for you to go, Professor Hollander. Close your eyes and accept the sweet release."

Hollander's eyes closed beyond his own control. He was fading fast. "Remember one thing while you face Minerva's judgement. AVALANCHE."

With those final words, Hollander's body went limp as he succumbed to death. John removed his lance and cleaned the tip, smirking as he turned around to face Tiffany, who was in a locked state of awe. "So, do I get a hug, or are you going to stand there, grinning like a beautiful idiot?"

In a flash, Tiffany had leapt into her lover's arms, kissing him hungrily. "I missed you..." John clipped his lance to his back and held onto his lover, smirking as he kissed her. "Not as much as I did, Tifa. Come on, we've earned a holiday. Home?"

Tiffany Lockhart grinned and gazed into her partner's glimmering eyes. "Home."

Zack folded his arms and grinned, about to make a sarcastic comment when his mouth was covered by Barret's gloved hand. The giant grinned as he spoke. "Dun' even think about it."

End Of Chapter Fourteen


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen: Unfinished Tasks

Once everyone was safely back aboard the Highwind, John met and conversed with the members of AVALANCHE he didn't have the pleasure of knowing earlier. (Taking a stray bullet to the heart kind of puts a crimp in such opportunities.).

After pleasantries were exchanged, he'd made his way to the Operations Room and slumped down at the table, welcoming the silence. (Being a full-time SOLDIER, silence rarely reared its head.). He ended up falling asleep on the chair, his mouth agape as he snored.

The large, steel doors opened and someone walked in, but John wasn't woken up. At that moment, it would have taken a massive hull breach to rouse him. After a few moments, the unknown visitor began clattering around, hunting for something when the former SOLDIER member groaned loudly.

The person was startled and turned to face the groggy warrior. "You look exhausted." John smirked at the visitor and ran his fingers through his matted and knotted hair. "Try experiencing what I've had to deal with. I'd murder someone for a shower."

The visitor held a hand to their chest, nervous, which roused another smirk from the exhausted warrior. "I won't kill anyone fighting against Shin-Ra, don't worry. What were you looking for, Aeris?" Holy blushed.

"This is going to sound REALLY crazy, but... My ribbon. I took it out of my hair last night, when I went to bed, when I got up, it was gone. I can't go anywhere without it, it belonged to my mother." John stood up and smiled at his new friend.

"Tell you what, give me about an hour to look and feel presentable, Gaia knows I need a shower and a change of clothes, find Tifa and we'll help you look. I've heard from Cid that Yuffie __may__have Kleptomania. Would you agree?"

Aeris nodded, her eyes glimmering with tears. "I'd have to agree with you. I wouldn't be surprised if Yuffie ran off with it. But, why would she want __that__? She knows how protective I am over it. My mother, Iflana gave me the ribbon on her deathbed. She was shot by Shin-Ra soldiers, led by Professor Gast."

John placed a grubby hand on his friend's shoulder. "Hey, come on, shush. I'll go and make myself look human, you go and talk to Zack or someone, try and calm down. We all lost people to Shin-Ra, dear people. It hurts to talk and think about it, but we have to be strong. Not just for ourselves, but for their memories." Aeris smiled. Even though she barely knew this former SOLDIER, she knew deep down she could trust him. No wonder Tiffany loved him so much. (Among other things...).

"Shall I direct you to the showers?" John smirked but shook his head. "No, thanks, I'll look for Genesis, that's the most likely place he'll be hiding from Yuffie. Two Sonic Speeds with one Fire Spell, eh?" Aeris laughed again.

"You've spent way too much on Mt. Nibel!" John smirked and left the room, not before shooting a sarcastic, cocky glance in the direction of the slum-dwelling Flower Girl turned Primary Healer. "Who, me? No, never."

John walked through the hallways of the Highwind, amazed at it's beauty. "Cid can REALLY design. At least Shin-Ra were genuine about that! Hang on..." John heard voices and a loud, clattering sound coming from the next room. He approached the metal door and smirked. "Ah, the showers."

He opened the door and glared at Yuffie, who had the Flower Girl's ribbon tied around her head. "Yuffie, ribbon. NOW. Genesis, out. I need to shower. Wait, Yuffie. If you don't return the ribbon to Aeris, right now, I'll kill you. NEVER mess with me when I haven't showered for far too fucking long." Yuffie squealed before sprinting out of the room, on her way to hunt for Aeris. Genesis chuckled and left the room.

John removed his clothing and stepped into the half-cubicle, sighing happily when he felt the jet blast hit his grimy skin. He closed the half-cubicle door and smirked, humming a tune.

After a few moments, the cubicle door opened and someone stepped into the shower, but John didn't notice. "God, I've missed this..."

"Even more than me?"

John smirked. "I thought you were busy."

"Yuffie isn't the only Ninja."

"You're not a Ninja by profession, you're all mine. Come here."

"Try and stop me..."

Tiffany turned on her heel to face her lover, and the steam from the shower rose, covering the entire room.

End Of Chapter Fifteen


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen: Shopping in Junon

The Highwind landed near Junon, AVALANCHE not wanting to be detected by Shin-Ra's military presence. Cid sighed and slumped back in his chair, the exhaustion of battle hitting him hard. Angeal offered to watch the helm while Cid got some rest. With some colourful language, Cid reluctantly agreed. Sephiroth was in charge until Cid relieved him of command.

Barret found it strange, having so many ex-SOLDIERs aboard the airship. He'd gotten used to having Zack aboard years ago, but with John, Angeal, Genesis and Sephiroth, the Corel giant couldn't handle it. He'd grow to, in time. For the moment, he needed LOTS of alcohol and things to shoot.

In John and Tiffany's quarters

John and Tiffany were curled up in bed together, happiness couldn't be more prominent for the couple. Their gazes remained locked. This was the happiness that was torn from them long ago. John was the first to speak.

"Mmm, Tifa... I'd much rather stay in bed with you forever, but we don't live here. I'm tired of wearing this uniform, it brings ambivalent memories for me. The good times with you and my friends, but the bad times in the facility, poked, prodded and cut like a guinea pig. Wait, that's exactly what I was... Anyway, what say you and I do some shopping in Junon?"

Tiffany nodded, a smirk on her lips. "Can we stop at my apartment along the way?" John mirrored the smirk. "Don't you mean __our__apartment?" Tiffany's eyes widened. "You mean you'd...?" John nodded and kissed his girlfriend. "If you wanted me to, yes." All Tiffany could do was nod, grin and kiss her lover.

Just as the romance began again, it was ended by the intercom, and the cool, confident voice of The Great Sephiroth sounded all through the ship. (But not in The Captain's quarters, thanks to clever comms channelling!). "If anyone wants to be a part of the... Expedition to the naval capital, be in the on the Bridge in one hour. We shall arrange teams and rotas."

Tiffany groaned, while John just laughed. "Come on, we'd best get up. We know that Sephiroth doesn't like tardiness." Tiffany punched her partner's shoulder. "How lazy do you think I am?" Her reaction was met with a chuckle and a certain look in her lover's eyes.

"I know how long you like to spend in the shower, especially when I'm with you." Tiffany grinned evilly and got up, removing the covers from her graceful, naked form. John jumped out of bed and smirked, following his partner to the shower.

Fifty Minutes Later, The Bridge of the Highwind

Sephiroth smirked as he eyed his 'recruits'. He felt like he was in command of the many Shin-Ra infantry as he was years ago, He ignored the memories almost instantly, he was just happy to be in command again. Genesis, Zack, Aeris, Yuffie, Tiffany, John and Barret all stood on the bridge, a mismatched bunch to the unknowing eye, but they were part of the group who would stand against Shin-Ra and defend the Planet to the very end, unwavering. Right now, however, they were on shopping duty.

Sephiroth looked at a clipboard, scribbling down rotas before speaking to the teams. "Hm, well... Genesis, you and Yuffie will handle the provisions. I do not think anyone will trust the Wutaiian with Materia." Sephiroth smirked, Zack covered his mouth, Aeris coughed, Tiffany giggled, John also smirked and Yuffie snarled, about to attack the 'Commander'. Genesis held her back, though.

"Moving on... Zack and Aeris, you will both handle the Materia. I know we can count on you." Zack saluted and Aeris rolled her eyes. "Now, Tiffany and John... Weapons. I know that you can't leave your lance and your fair lady behind, and if anyone crosses the pair, Tiffany would be there first." John grinned and placed his arm around Tiffany's shoulders, pulling her into him. Tiffany blushed and groaned in her lover's chest, clearly embarrassed.

Sephiroth smirked. He was happy the pair had found each other, again. "You all have your lists, move out. Report back here at no later than three PM. Move out!" The couples dispersed, and Sephiroth was left looking at Barret. "What about you, Mr. Wallace?" Barret merely grunted. "Bar." Sephiroth nodded and want to chat with Angeal.

High Noon, Lower Junon

All three pairs went their separate ways, enjoying the lighter work for a change. (They were all battle-hardened and ready to fight at a moment's notice, but everyone needed a break every now and then!). Yuffie dragged Genesis to the main Junon supermarket, clutching Genesis' hand like a child dragging a parent around in a toy shop.

"Ooh, we need some of this, we need ten of those! Genny, keep up! We need some of that! Bring that trolley over here!" Genesis growled quietly at his new 'pet name'. He merely followed the ninja's instructions, not wishing to anger or lose any of his Materia.

Zack and Aeris were having a much more calm time in the Materia store. Well, Zack was, but the ex-SOLDIER didn't realise that the female shopkeeper was flirting with him. Aeris was moments away from casting a Thunder spell, but decided against her craving.

"Zack, we should really get some Command Materia. We have plenty of Independent, Magic and Support. Summon Materia _is_ _okay_, but we can't find them in stores. Zack... Zack. ZACK!" Zack turned around and grinned at his girlfriend.

"Yes, sweetness? Materia? Of course! We got plenty of Gil from those battles! One moment, lovely." He turned around to face the shopkeeper. "We'll take ten of everything!" The cash till 'PINGED', and Aeris merely shook her head. She loved her idiotic war machine. "Oh, Zack..."

In the weapon shop, John was looking at the lances, spears and rifles, while Tiffany was examining the various bangles and accessories. She noticed a suit of purple armour and got her boyfriend's attention. "Hey, what about this?"

John smirked and tilted his head to one side. "I really couldn't see myself wearing that, I'd look like one of those Dragoons from that mythical Kingdom of Baron! What was his name in those old children's storybooks? Kain?" Tiffany examined the armour further.

"I think if you dye your hair blonde, wear the helmet and talk like an old Knight, it would work!" John smirked and shook his head, turning to the shopkeeper. "Hey, we'll take one Enhance Sword, one Mythril Glove, one W Machine Gun, one Wizer Staff, a Viper Halberd, a Twin Viper and ten weapon maintenance kits."

The ageing shopkeeper grinned. "Young love, eh? You remind me of my wife and I when we were young." John smirked. "We're moving in together, too." The shopkeeper retained his grin. "Best of luck to you both! You look destined for happiness."

John smiled, nodded and paid for the items. "Thank you, goodbye!"

Tiffany took some of the bags from her partner and smirked. "What shall we do, apartment or drop the weapons off, first?"

John smirked. "What do YOU think, Tiffany?"

Tiffany just merely mirrored the smirk and the two hauled the bags to her apartment.

End Of Chapter Sixteen


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen: Junon Raid

A loud bang from outside woke Tiffany from her slumber in her lover's arms. John slept peacefully, snoring lightly. Her eyes snapped open, immediately removing herself from her lover's arms to walk to the window and open the curtain. Her eyes widened upon the sight laid before her. She then turned to wake her sleeping partner.

"John, wake up!" John woke up and jumped out of bed, noticing the urgency in his lover's voice. "What is it, Tifa?" Tiffany opened the curtains to show her boyfriend what she saw outside. An explosion had tore up half of the street, and sixteen Destroyer-class ships were approaching the Junon Harbour.

John growled and grabbed Tiffany's PHS, immediately dialling Cid's number. The Captain's language was colourful, as to be expected. "What the fuck are you calling me for, John? I'm tryin' to get me some shut-eye!" John didn't want to argue with his friend, and just relayed the information over the cellular waves.

"Captain, there are sixteen Shin-Ra Destroyers heading for the Harbour. They're coming for Tifa and I. They've just tore up half of the fucking street, narrowly missing this apartment! We need AVALANCHE to deploy, now! You're needed, too!"

Cid growled as he got out of bed, not enjoying having to take orders. (Before John joined AVALANCHE, he was the leader of the resistance movement.). Nevertheless, he dressed himself and grabbed his spear.

"Everyone else is on the Highwind, you guys decided to do your fucking business, and because you have the fucking supplies, we're all fresh out of ammo! You and Barret are the only ones who use it, but that ain't the fucking point! You and Tiffany head to the Airport Path, we'll meet you there!"

John ended the call and got dressed, throwing the device to Tiffany (who had dressed while John was on the PHS.). They put the supplies from the Weapon Shop into their packs before leaving the apartment, glad the building had an automatic key-code lock.

A quieter bang from the one before was heard, and John threw Tiffany to the alleyway, casting Barrier just before the second round from one of the Destroyers hit him. The attack didn't do much damage, and the cuts and burns would heal easily with Restore Materia. Tiffany got up and grabbed her boyfriend, the two running toward the Airport Path, avoiding whatever gunfire came their way.

Aboard the sixteenth Destroyer

A short, pudgy, balding man in a crimson suit and with a cigar hanging between his fat lips stood on the deck of the Destroyer which was encircled by the others. The Captain of the Destroyer turned and saluted the suited gentleman. The man in the red suit blew out a lungful of smoke and spoke to the well-decorated Admiral. "Have they been neutralised, Admiral?"

The Admiral shook his head. "Not yet, Sir. They will be, we're tracking them now with our radar. They're making a run for the Airport Path, most likely meeting with the crew of the Highwind. We have the Path completely locked down, no-one can get in or out, not even SOLDIER. We have set the necessary emplacements as per your orders, and we've also mobilised The Turks. Every single member of the Shin-Ra Army, all our remaining SOLDIERs, The Turks and our various Roboguards will stop AVALANCHE in their tracks."

The balding man nodded, tapping his cigar, letting some ash fall upon the pristine, metal deck. "What of the AA-Gunners?" The Admiral smirked. "They are being deployed as we speak, Sir. Our Technicians are making final adjustments before we have them activated. John Valentine and Tiffany Lockhart won't reach the Path in time. That's a promise."

The short man nodded and walked back into the Bridge. "Keep me informed, Admiral."

The Highwind, over Junon

Cid growled as he looked at his Radar, he didn't have the time to light a cigarette, he needed to find a safe Landing Zone. "THAT'S A FUCKIN' SHIN-RA TASK FORCE! THE FUCK ARE THEY!? AA-GUNNERS? I FUCKING DESIGNED THEM! SHIT, SHIT, SHIT!" Slamming his clenched fist on his dashboard, Cid snarled into the microphone.

"Tiffany, John, you'd better be the luckiest cunts alive if you wanna get to the Airport Path in one piece! Shin-Ra's sending their best fuckin' task force out for your sorry-ass hides! Oh, FUCK, NO!" An alarm cut off the call, a deep red light filled the Bridge. Cid looked at one of the monitors and his skin turned white. "MISSILE LOCK! FUCK, FUCK, FUCKING SHIT!"

A metal cylinder containing a deadly payload sped toward the Highwind, relentless in its directed task of destroying the famous airship. Cid frantically tore off a metal panel and tried to pull a lever, which was extremely stiff. "Come on, old girl, don't you fuckin' do this to me... HOLD ON, EVERYONE!"

The missile hit it's target, and a giant cloud of smoke and flame filled the Junon sky.

End Of Chapter Seventeen


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter Eighteen: Prelude to the Final Battle

Tiffany and John witnessed the explosion from above, the fighter's expressions showed nothing but pure shock. John grabbed his girlfriend's hand. "Tifa, we have to keep moving. We'll get through this. AVALANCHE would want us to carry on." Tiffany nodded weakly and followed her partner to the Airport Path.

On the Bridge of the Shin-Ra Destroyer, the fat gentleman in the crimson suit grinned as he looked through the window. "That's most of AVALANCHE done with. Wait..."

His eyes widened when the smoke in the air cleared. An aircraft appeared in the air, but it didn't look like the Highwind. The propellers were missing, as well as half of the ship's hull. The 'new' Highwind looked more sleek, with wings and three Mako Afterburners firing from the rear of the craft.

Cid grinned from the Bridge, a lit cigarette perched comfortably between smug lips. "It'll take more than a fucking Anti-Air missile to kill Cid Highwind! I INVENTED THOSE WEAPONS, BITCHES!"

Thankfully, the members of AVALANCHE aboard the Highwind were unharmed, just a little shaken up by the split-second manoeuvre. Even though Cid had pulled the 'EMERGENCY' lever, he'd also gained control of two new weapons, hidden in the front of the hull. Besides the added yaw and pitch control, the added manoeuvrability and the increase in airspeed, the new tactical additions were the biggest feature.

Cid studied the tactical display and locked onto the Destroyers. He knew that his old missile payload wouldn't have come close to his new emplacements. He brought the Highwind jet down on a direct course with the warships and slammed his fist down on the 'FIRE' button.

The Destroyers didn't have a chance as they were torn to nothing but steel shards as the Mako Cannons ravaged their targets. Cid grinned and then brought the Highwind round for another pass, locking onto the last remaining Destroyer. He grinned and shouted at the tactical display. "GOODNIGHT, MR. PRESIDENT!"

All President Shin-Ra could do was scream as he was engulfed in flames. Nothing would have survived such an assault. Cid then shouted into the intercom. "AVALANCHE, I'M BRINGING YOU ALL IN CLOSE ENOUGH TO THE AIRPORT PATH FOR A SAFE LANDING! I'LL CLEAR THE WAY, FIRST! THOSE TURKS NEED DEALING WITH!"

AVALANCHE were waiting in the Cargo Bay, preparing for their deployment. Tiffany and John had reached the Air Traffic Control Room, just before the Airport Path. The pair had cut through guards, machinery and other obstacles alike. They stopped a moment to rest and consume restorative items, as well as exchange Materia. John looked at his partner with serious eyes.

"Tifa, I have a plan. You approach through this main door when I give you my signal. I'll head through this door behind us and climb up to the rafters. Being a native of Junon, I know there'll be cover for both of us. You'll be drawing Shin-Ra's fire away from the Highwind and over to our position. I'll be using Betsy. It's been a while since I've had the opportunity to use the old girl. Here, in case things get too hairy."

John handed Tiffany his prized Contain Materia. Tiffany's eyes widened. "This is...!" John nodded. "I trust only you with this Materia, my love. Don't get me wrong, I trust all of AVALANCHE, even Yuffie, but this is my first Materia that reached its MASTER level. Take it. No arguments."

While Tiffany grinned and let this surprise sink in, John tore out his rifle's old magazine and slammed in a fresh one, cocking it before reaching into his pack for his targeting visor. When he put the visor on, he smirked as he switched it on, blinking as his eyes adjusted to the dark purple targeting system.

John grabbed his lover and kissed her with an eternally-burning passion before turning to walk through the door to Junon's main street. "I love you, Tifa. Never forget that." Tiffany returned the promise, but she was worried. __'It sounds like he's saying those as his last words... Don't leave me... No, I have to be strong. We'll make it through this!'___._

John left the Air Traffic Control Room and turned to climb the metal pillar. There were notches embedded in the steel from a previous raid, easy for a SOLDIER 1st Class to use as handholds. Grunting as he made his way up the jagged pillar, John mulled the previous conversation with his ever-loving in his mind.

__'I hope I didn't upset her. I know things aren't over, we still have the world to take on! Gaia, I sounded like a total, what would Cid call it? A total cunt. Yeah, that's what I sounded like. Tifa, I love you. I always will. It will NEVER be the end. When this is all over and we're back at the apartment, I know EXACTLY what I'll do. Yeah, that should prove to her just how much I love her. Right, time to go to work!'___._

Tiffany performed her stretches and other exercises, letting the blood rush through her veins as she waited for her lover's signal.

Her earpiece crackled and Tiffany Lockhart turned around, walking out toward Junon's Airport Path.

"This is it..."

End Of Chapter Eighteen


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter Nineteen: I Am A Sniper, Always Hit The Mark

Cid grinned as he surveyed the destruction he caused from his radar screen. "THAT'S FOR DESTROYING MY DREAMS, MOTHERFUCKER!" He lit a victorious cigarette and happily inhaled the nicotine.

Meanwhile, Barret and the rest of AVALANCHE had fully prepared themselves for the impending onslaught of Shin-Ra and were waiting for a safe LZ. (Landing Zone.). The dark-skinned juggernaut spoke to the smirking SOLDIER through his earpiece.

"Yo, Poison-Man!" John smirked. He had preferred and used the Poison element for as long as he could remember. "Barret, it's 'John.'. What's up?" Barret growled from inside the Cargo Bay. "Is that all ya can ask me!? WUT'S UP!? YOU AND TIFF'UH'NEE ARE OUT THERE ALONE, WITH NO BACKUP, AND THAT'S ALL YA CAN ASK ME!? WUT THE FUCK!?"

John laughed. "Calm down, Barret. Look, Tifa's in position and safe. I'm keeping an eye on her. She's in my sights, and I mean that both literally and figuratively. Don't start. Do you REALLY think I'd shoot her?"

Barret shook his head and sighed. As much as he hated Shin-Ra for what they did to his mining town birthplace of North Corel, he knew he could trust the SOLDIERs who were now a part of AVALANCHE.

John kept his eyes focussed on his gunsights while he changed the channel frequency of his earpiece to AVALANCHE's leader. "Captain, it's John!" Cid sighed and lit another cigarette. "Yeah? What is it?" John smirked. "I was thinking that you should let AVALANCHE fast rope down behind me and if you receive enemy fire, Tifa and I can cover you all. All I have to do is give Tifa a signal and you'll have a raging storm that will blind the enemy. Might even take out some of those other scumbags from Shin-Ra."

Cid thought things over for a moment before grunting. "I gotta say, kid, you're making a lotta fucking sense! Are you sure you've never been a leader!?" John smirked again. "Well, I DID set the all-time record for the military strategics exam. I even beat Sephiroth!"

Cid mulled things over for a moment before grinning, showing nicotine-stained teeth. "Yep, works for me, kid. I'll scan the area and make a low pass over the main street before giving AVALANCHE the green light."

John's smirk morphed into a full grin. "You know, Captain, you surprise me." Cid grunted, his grin dropping. "Yeah? And, how's that?" John chuckled into his earpiece. "Captain, you went a few sentences without swearing!" Cid growled. "Shut the fuck up, youngster."

John smirked, glad that things with Cid were as they should be. "Captain, I'm keeping an eye on things here, give me a signal if you need cover. I have a Mako-enhanced silencer attached to my rifle, radar can't pick up the bullet's signatures."

Cid grunted again. "Good. Let's get this shit moving! I've got a team in the cargo bay who are fucking BLOOD-THIRSTY!" John nodded, even though no-one could see him. "Roger that, Captain. I'll inform Tifa and get this party started!"

Tiffany was hiding behind her cover, waiting for the signal from her partner. Her earpiece crackled and she waited for the first shot to be fired. For the next few moments, there was silence, until John spoke into his earpiece.

The smirking SOLDIER had numerous targets to choose from, but picked one of the members of The Turks, who were the elite assassins of the Shin-Ra Electric Power Company. "Sorry, Reno. I know we used to be friends, but I have to do this for the Planet. It's nothing personal."

Reno of The Turks was in the middle of replacing the battery in his electrical nightstick, grumbling as he did so, when it happened. "SON OF A BITCH!" He felt a sharp, searing pain in his right shoulder as the Mako-enhanced bullet tore through his skin and muscle, narrowly missing his bone.

His weapon fell to the ground and he picked up the deadly nightstick with his left hand. His teammate Rude cast a Cure2 spell, and Reno sighed in relief as the green tendrils of the curative magic quickly wove muscle and skin back together, but the magic was only a temporary fix. The wound would require medical attention after the fight, if Reno survived.

All four of The Turks immediately ducked down for cover and their leader, the Turk Captain known as Tseng spoke to his team. "Rude, can you see him?" Rude tapped on the frame of his glasses and the lenses flickered a deep red colour as he used Shin-Ra technology to scan for heat signatures.

He edged cautiously forward to the nearest area of cover and ducked down behind it. He leaned over and scanned the area ahead. "Nothing. All I can see are our Roboguards." Tseng growled. "Alright, Rude, get back here. We're in command. The President and the Admiral are both dead, it's up to us."

Rude obeyed his command without question and made his way back to his point of cover. Before he reached his original cover, a pain similar to white-hot knives piercing his skin made his hand bleed. Rude immediately grabbed his wrist, wounded.

Tseng grabbed Rude's arm and pulled him to cover. The long-haired Turk was trying to determine the sniper's methods. "This sniper knew where to hit us. He's not trying to kill us. He's incapacitating us, without intention to maim. Elena!"

The young, blonde female Turk turned to her leader. "Where do you want me?" Tseng pointed to a catwalk atop a metal ladder. "Get up there. Fast." Elena nodded without hesitation and climbed up the ladder.

Tseng cast a Cure2 spell on Rude and tried to locate the talented marksman. He drew his side-arm, keeping an eye on Elena as she made her way to her point of cover. He tapped his earpiece. "Elena, report in." Elena spoke two words. "In position."

Tseng looked at the bullet holes in the metalwork that had made clean entry and exit wounds through Reno and Rude. He looked toward the sniper's apparent position and back to his point of cover.

He then signalled to Elena who then lay prone on the catwalk, adjusting her sights as she spotted a glint in the distance. "Tseng, I have him." Tseng grinned. "Elena, shoot to kill." Elena fired a round from her high-powered rifle.

John growled and shuffled to the right. "Tifa, I'm under fire! If you can come up with some way to clear out the Roboguards, I can signal the Captain to deploy the rest of AVALANCHE!" Tiffany channelled energy from a red Materia orb and summoned Bahamut Fury, a gold variant of the famed and feared dragon of the Bahamut family.

Bahamut Fury hovered over the Planet and fired a huge beam from its mouth. Exa Flare hit the Junon Airport Path and wiped out the entirety of the Shin-Ra forces, barring The Turks, leaving nothing but a mess of scrap metal, wires and other electronic parts.

John watched the entire event and smirked, before speaking into his earpiece. "Tifa, make your way up here." Tiffany made her way back from her cover, through the doors and to the metal pillar. She climbed up and found her lover laying prone in the rafters.

John turned to his girlfriend and smirked at her. "Good call on Bahamut Fury. I didn't even know you had it!" Tifa mirrored her partner's smirk. "Oh, Yuffie may be the materia thief, but even I have my uses!"

John's smirk once again morphed into a grin as he studied the wreckage before him. Past all the metal, all that could be seen were three Turks. Wait, that wasn't right. John adjusted his sights for a wider view of the battlefield.

"I see Tseng, Reno and Rude, but where is Elena...? I can't find her. She MUST be here, somewhere... She wouldn't have made it up to that catwalk without my knowing. Where the HELL is she?"

The SOLDIER's question was answered when a jagged shard of metal flew up from his cover and hit him just under his eye. "I could have been fucking blinded! I'll find you, Elena, just count yourself lucky that I won't kill you!"

The master of poison flicked a switch on his visor and scanned the area ahead for biological signatures, which were much more effective than heat signature detection. He smirked when he found one. "I have you now, Elena..." John took aim and fired. Elena growled as the bullet flew past her head, just grazing her ear.

John reloaded and fired another shot, hitting Elena in her wrist. The youngest member of The Turks spoke into her earpiece. "Tseng, I'm out! I can't fight like this!" Tseng growled into his own earpiece. "Elena, you, Reno and Rude are useless! The Turks shouldn't have been taken down this easily!"

With her other hand, Elena pulled out a Hi-Potion bottle from her breast pocket and opened the green bottle with her teeth, wincing as she poured the liquid over her wound. "I'll fucking kill him... This isn't over!"

As soon as John knew it was safe, he changed the channel frequency back to Cid. "Captain, you have a clear LZ! All that remain are The Turks, and I've incapacitated three of them!" Cid lit another cigarette and snarled. "It's about fucking time! AVALANCHE, FAST ROPE DOWN TO THE AIRPORT PATH!" Cid slammed a button on his console.

In the Cargo Bay, a bright green light filled the room, and the remaining members of AVALANCHE cheered. Hooking themselves to the ropes that dangled over the abyss, they made their way down to the Junon Airport Path.

As soon as AVALANCHE fast roped onto the Airport Path, the entire squad encircled The Turks. Tseng knew he couldn't take them all on, and neither could the rest of his team. He dropped his side-arm and put his hands over his head, surrendering.

Elena jumped down from her position and did the same, and watched Reno and Rude mirror the gesture toward AVALANCHE. Barret aimed his gun-arm in Reno's face and was about to fire when a hand met his shoulder.

The dark-skinned giant turned to the hand's owner and glared. John shook his head. "Put it down, Barret. They're not our enemy. They are just puppets of our real enemy, just like I was. You know killing The Turks won't bring back Myrna."

Barret Wallace sighed and lowered his arm, turning his back to The Turks. John took a step closer to The Turks, outstretching an arm. Tseng's eyes widened. "Aren't you going to kill us, Mr. Valentine?"

John shook his head. "No. I never intended to kill any of you, as you probably worked out. I'm giving you the chance to join us, and save the Planet. You four guys are Shin-Ra's Intelligence Division, surely you know about the company's plans for Gaia?"

Tseng nodded, his eyes fixed on the SOLDIER's hand. "So what if we do?" John smirked. "Join us, and we can overthrow the Shin-Ra Electric Power Company and save the Planet. Do you want to die in, say, the next... Year? That's the best estimate for the amount of time we'll all have left, if Shin-Ra can make their plans a reality."

Tseng looked back to his Turks, bloody and beaten with only three shots, one for each of them. Knowing there would be only execution if he went back to Midgar to report to Heidegger, he shook John's hand.

"We'll be a part of your group, but what do we do about Shin-Ra? How can we trust you?" John smirked again. "If I can prevent the man who hates Shin-Ra more than anyone from killing you at point-blank range, I think you can trust us."

Tseng nodded, still a little wary. "Okay, Mr. Valentine." John grabbed Tseng's arm and pulled him up. "We need to get the new members of AVALANCHE to the sickbay. Captain, can you land the Highwind at our position?"

Cid grunted from his consoles. "As long as the path is fuckin' clear!" John smirked and helped the other members of The Turks to their feet. Sephiroth looked up to the skies and saw the Highwind land on the runway of Junon Airport.

As AVALANCHE boarded the Highwind, Tiffany grabbed her lover's arm. John sighed in mock-anger and turned to face his girlfriend. "Something wrong, Tifa?" Tiffany reached into her pack and pulled out a small pack of tissues. She tore open the plastic wrapping with her nails and pulled out one of the tissues, standing on her tiptoes to reach her partner's cut.

John drew a full grin of pride. "It's just a cut, Tifa." Tiffany shook her head and smirked, removing another tissue from the pack and wiping away as much blood as possible. When she was satisfied, she put the tissues back into her pack and got out a pack of plasters. (She wasn't as good a magician as Aeris, but the warrior used more conventional healing methods!).

As soon as she attached the plaster to her lover's 'war wound', she smirked and kissed the plaster. "There, all better! Now, run along and play!" John growled and kissed his girlfriend. "I'm not a child." Tiffany gave her partner an innocent look. John glared at Tiffany. "Get aboard. Now. I'm not kidding."

Tiffany grinned and walked up the Cargo Bay's metal ramp. John shook his head and chuckled. "That woman will be the death of me..." He walked up the ramp and turned around, looking at the Airport one last time before hitting the large, red switch on the wall, raising the Cargo Bay's ramp as the Mako afterburners of the Highwind roared into life.

As the ramp closed, John watched the port city Of Junon fade into the horizon as the Highwind and her crew set course for Nibelheim.

End Of Chapter Nineteen


	20. Chapter 20

The Smirking SOLDIER

Chapter Twenty: Briefing

While the Highwind was en-route to Nibelheim, John made his way to the Infirmary to check on the newest members of AVALANCHE. Elena, Reno and Rude were having their injuries tended to by Aeris, who had taken a medical course back at Junon University.

Tseng was nowhere to be found. John walked up to The Turks trio and the blonde Turk glared at him. John sighed deeply before speaking. "Look, we may not like each other, but we AT LEAST have to try and get along if we're going to take down Shin-Ra. When your wounds have been tended to by our Healer, come to the Operations Room in an hour. We need all the information you have on Shin-Ra's operations."

Reno got up from the bed and tried to punch the SOLDIER, but the latter deftly blocked it and grabbed the Turks' arm, holding it behind his back.

"Get back into bed, Reno. You all know that when I shot you it was NOT personal. If it was, why did I only shoot to wound? I had every intention of recruiting you to New AVALANCHE's cause. Come on, you guys and I had some great times in Junon's bars. Do you _really _think I'd try and kill old friends, even if they were the enemy?"

Reno sighed in defeat, knowing deep down that the ex-SOLDIER was right. "Fine. We'll play it your way. You'd better go and find Tseng, though. He knows more than we do, being the leader of us Turks and all."

With those final words, John released his grip and smirked as Reno sat back down on his bed. The ex-SOLDIER then nodded at Aeris and left the Infirmary. John made his way past the Operations Room and up both flights of stairs, heading for the observation deck.

He smirked again when he found Tseng with his back to him, arms folded and looking out towards Mt. Nibel which was rapidly forming on the horizon. John stood next to Tseng and sighed. "It's been a challenging time for us all."

Tseng nodded and didn't move from his spot on the deck. "These past couple of days especially. What's our next move?" John pulled his PHS out of his pocket and flipped open the device, checking the time for the second continent, immediately pocketing it afterwards.

"Come to the Observation Room in one hour. The Captain and I will brief the whole of New AVALANCHE, The Turks included." Tseng nodded again. "Reno will take some convincing, however."

John smirked and unclipped his lance, inspecting it. "No need, he got the message back in the infirmary." Tseng raised an eyebrow which made the ex-SOLDIER chuckle loudly. "Dare I ask, Mr. Valentine?" John shook his head and chuckled louder, turning on his heel and heading for the bridge, seeking out the Captain of the Highwind.

The Operations Room, one hour later

Every single member of New AVALANCHE was gathered around the table, half of the team had sat down while the others chose to stand. Cid was one of the members who chose to sit, resting his legs on the wooden table.

While Cid was enjoying yet _another _cigarette and remained silent as he did so, John decided he would brief everyone on the mission ahead. He cleared his throat before speaking. "Okay, everyone. As most of you have realised, we're on course for Nibelheim. Yes, Yuffie?"

The Wutaiian ninja raised her hand. "Why can't we go to Midgar and give the rest of Shin-Ra what for?" John shook his head. "Because, Yuffie, if we head to Midgar unprepared, we'd be sitting ducks. We're all wanted criminals, especially due to the reactor bombing. We're not ready to take them on."

Barret growled and slammed his gun-arm on the wood, causing splinters to fly all around the room. "Fuck this! Ah say we go ahead and wipe out all of tha Shin-Ra suits right now!" John shook his head again.

"Barret, we all want our revenge. Even with SOLDIER _and _The Turks on our side, we're still not ready. We're heading to Nibelheim for one simple reason. We need a new base of operations. The Captain and I have decided on the old Shin-Ra mansion."

John took a moment to direct his gaze to Tiffany who didn't look best pleased about this decision. "Are you okay, Tifa?" Tiffany nodded and brushed away a stray tear. "I'm fine, John. Please continue."

John was concerned, but he continued with the briefing. "The Shin-Ra mansion has more than enough space and a room for each of us. Plus, we can fortify the basement and use it as our HQ. There's just one problem, though..."

Sephiroth interjected. "The monsters. We'll have to send in a team to clear the entire building. I suggest two teams. One team will focus on the residential area, while the other makes their way to the basement and laboratory."

Angeal raised his hand. "I say we pick teams now. I know that two people in New AVALANCHE will be inseparable..." Angeal turned his attention to a certain martial artist who blushed and an ex-SOLDIER who just smirked proudly.

Yuffie was the next to interject. "I'm staying with Genny! If you don't like it, take a number and wait at the back of the line!" With those words, Yuffie took hold of Genesis' hand, refusing to let go. Genesis merely sighed and accepted his fate as he knew he couldn't worm out of it if he even tried.

John turned to look at Tseng. "We need all the information you have on Shin-Ra up to press." Tseng nodded and kept his arms folded. "Right. Since the death of President Shin-Ra, the company will have already sworn in the President's heir, Rufus Shin-Ra. From what we have been told, Shin-Ra plan to leave Midgar and form a new city, somewhere on the Northern Continent, in an area rich in Mako."

Sephiroth's eyes widened. "The Whirlwind Maze..." Tseng raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me, Sephiroth?" Sephiroth stood up from his seat next to Zack. "The Whirlwind Maze, located past the City Of The Ancients and the Corral Valley. It is an area filled with bountiful Mako and Huge Materia."

Zack piped up, instantly more alert! "Hey, Sephiroth! We were there! All five of us!" Sephiroth rolled his eyes. "Yes, Puppy. We were there. Congratulations." Zack cheered and Aeris rolled her eyes, hiding her face in her hand.

Sephiroth continued. "If Shin-Ra plan to form a new Midgar or whatever it may be, it will most likely be there, due to the huge amounts of Mako. That also poses a new threat." John nodded in his friend's direction.

"Right, the Huge Materia. If Rufus and his cronies get a hold of that, Gaia knows what they'd be capable of. I wouldn't be surprised if they repaired the cannon at Junon, moved it to the new city and built fortifications. We all know how efficient Shin-Ra is at construction. From what I read in the newspapers back when I was in SOLDIER, it only took them a few months to build a Mako Reactor at Midgar."

Cid interrupted. "Don't forget that that fuckin' Shin-Ra publishes the papers. You can't fuckin' trust what those bastards say. Take it with a fuckin' pinch of salt. Load of cunts, the lot of them, even SOLDIER! Oh, hey... Present fuckin' company excluded."

John merely smirked and continued with the briefing. "We need to work out how we're gonna stop Shin-Ra from building their new city and further damaging the Planet with more Mako Reactors. I suggest we also shut down the Nibelheim Reactor, clear it of Makonoids and find a new power source. We can't risk using Mako any more than we need to."

Tiffany grinned proudly at her boyfriend, taking in every single word. Elena noticed this and glared at the martial artist. "Why should we listen to anything that this FREAK has to say?" Everyone turned their attention to the blonde Turk and Tiffany clenched her fists, speaking through clenched teeth.

"Call my boyfriend a freak one more time. I fucking DARE you." Tiffany dug her boots into the wooden floor and prepared to leap over the table as Elena opened her mouth. John left his place at the front of the table and ran over to Tiffany, taking her into his arms.

"It's okay, Tifa. I can handle it." Tiffany glared at Elena, refusing to listen to the man she loved. "Why the FUCK should she be allowed to get away with that!?" John immediately began stroking his partner's hair and she began calming down, but the moment of silence was soon over when Elena smirked evilly and uttered one word.

"Freak." With that insult, Tiffany broke free from her lover and leapt over the table, landing a perfect right hook at Elena's jaw, sending the Turk crashing to the floor. John reached over the table and grabbed his girlfriend's waist, pulling her back into his arms,

No-one bothered to help Elena up as they knew she was completely in the wrong. "Fuck you all, then!" Elena got up from the floor and stormed out of the Operations Room, heading for a quiet space, nursing an injured jaw as she did so.

Tseng left the room moments after to check on the fellow Turk and John spoke as soon as Tseng left. "We'll continue the briefing when all members are present. Take a break, everyone. We'll be back here in half an hour."

With the command from the ex-SOLDIER, New AVALANCHE disbanded and left the Operations Room, heading their separate ways. Only John and Tiffany remained. As soon as the room was silent, Tiffany buried her head in John's chest.

"I'm sorry about that." John merely chuckled before speaking. "I've never actually seen you attack till now. Damn, you can deal one Hell of a punch. We should definitely spar some time." Tiffany grinned.

"What, and damage your pretty face? Never." John raised a hand and placed a finger on his sharp jawline. "Shut up and kiss me, Tifa." With that final request, the Nibelheim-born fighter happily obliged.

End Of Chapter Twenty


End file.
